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SPELLING 


AND 

Letter Writing 

FOR USB IN 


Commercial Schools, Normal Schools, 
Colleges, Academies, and 
High Schools. 

BY 

H. X. IvOOMIS. 



Cleveland, Ohio; 

The Practical Text Book Company, 
Publishers. 


[UBRARYofCbNfeREl? 


Two Copies Received 


JAN 171908 


.VI 


Cepyricnt tntrv 




>‘5<a 7 

mi< NO. 


b 

COPY B. 


PREFACE. 


To a young man or a young woman who seeks employment in 
business, or who would have a practical education, no subject can 
be of more importance than spelling. 

Any person expecting to succeed in business should at least be 
able to spell correctly and write a good letter. Correct spelling, 
beautiful writing, and careful arrangement, in letters, are like cor¬ 
rect pronunciation of well chosen words; or like neat-fitting, clean- 
looking clothes,— they are a valued and an impressive introduction. 

While one may not always receive the credit to which he is 
entitled for spelling correctly, he is sure to suffer humiliation and 
loss if he spells incorrectly. 

A great deal of time and thought was devoted to the prepara¬ 
tion of this text-book, and it is, therefore, with much satisfaction 
that the author observes its growing popularity. 


Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1889i by 
The Practical Text Book Company, 
in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 


Copyrighted, 1897, by The Practical Text Book Company. 


Copyrighted, 1902, by The Practical Text Book Company. 














t' 


INDEX 


Agriculture. 29 

Animals. loi 

Annoyance . 68 

Architecture. 30, 31 

Arithmetic. 49, 50 

Authority. 43.44 

Birds. 102 

Bookkeeping. 18 

Business. lo-i 5 

City. Ill 

Cities of U. S.112-114 

Cities, Foreign.116-118 

Clothing. 20 

Color. 100 

Confusion. 66 

Conversation. 86, 87 

Crimes and Criminals . . . . . 41 

Death. 93 

Dictation Exercises ... 10, 15, 16, 19, 


20, 24, 27, 29, 31, 35, 40, 42, 46, 48, 52, 
54. 55. 56. 61, 64, 67, 69, 70, 72, 74. 76, 
78, 82, 84, 85, 87, 89, 91, 93, 97,99. 103. 

106, III, 118. 


Disaster. 69 

Disease. 34.35 

Drugs. 32 

Dry Goods. 19 

Expenditure. 18 

Festivity . 97 

Finished . 94 

Fire and Fuel. 57 

Fish and Fowl. 26 

Flowers. 98.99 

Food. 26 

Fruit. 28 

Furniture. 57 


Geography ... ...... 53 

Government ......... 42 

Groceries .. 25 

Hardware.. 21,22 

Hatred. 83 

Homophonous Words . .17, 21, 25, 30 
34. 41, 47 , 52, 56, 62, 67, 73, 79.-85, 90. 
95, loi, 104, 106. 

Human Body. 36 

Humor. 96 

Injury. 68 

Insects. 103 

Intemperance. 84 

Joy • • .. 95 

Kindness. 84 

Law . 37-40 

Laziness and Fatigue .... 55 

Lineage. 81 

Lines and Forms. 51 

Literature. 62,63 

Manners. 79-81 

Men. 76 

Mind. 59-61 

Miscellaneous . . 15, 19, 23, 27, 31, 37, 
45, 49, 54. 59, 64, 69, 75, 82, 87, 92, 98, 
no. 

Months and Days. 118 

Motion . 54 

Music. 55 

Mystery. 92 

Nations. 78 

Navigation. 71 

Oratory .. 46 

Orthography .. 9 

Persons. 77 

Physics. 33 

































































IV 


INDEX. 


Pictures . 

. 58 

Politics. 


Praise. 

. 88,89 

Precious Stones . 

105 

Quantity ..... 


Religion. 


Requiring Careful 

Discrimina- 

*^ion ...... 


S'Jaools. 


SWences. 


. 


Skill .... . , 


Society ... # 


Sorrow . . . • f 

• • • • • 94 


States and Territories .... 114-116 


Stationers' Goods. 23 

Temper and Disposition ... 83 

Theatre. g6 

Time. 73,74 

Traveling. 70 

Trees.'. . . 100 

Vegetables. 28 

Vehicles. 71 

Vocations. 16 

War or Military Service ... 65, 66 

Wind and Weather. 72 

Women. 76 

Writing. 24 




























I 


INTRODUCTION 


Had we believed, with a celebrated congressman — not noted 
for skill in orthography — that “ spelling is very small business,” 
this book would not have been published. Considering the subject 
important^ we have earnestly endeavored to prepare a work that 
should present it in the most attractive, interesting, and useful 
manner. 

The words have been selected with great care, our aim being to 
give only words in common use, and those that are liable to be 
misspelled. They are arranged alphabetically, marked diacritically, 
divided into syllables, and classified according to their meaning. 
This classification makes the study of the lessons more interesting 
and at the same time gives a knowledge of the correct use of the 
words. There is no better way of acquiring discrimination in the 
use of words than by the study of synonyms, and many of these are 
grouped in lessons as a result of this method of classifying. 

The parts of speech have been indicated in accordance with the 
definitions given. Only one, two, or at most three words have 
been selected from a series of words derived from the same root, 
varying slightly in spelling or definition. 

The dictation exercises are on the same subject as the respeetive 
lessons, and are the best thoughts of the best writers. They will 
add interest to the spelling lesson, and aiford excellent practice 
in penmanship, and the spelling of short and common words. They 
may also be used as gems of thought to be recited in concert by the 
class, reading from the open book, or be committed to memory, by 
each pupil, and recited individually. 

The definitions are short and comprehensive, and of the words 
in their most common use. It is as important to know what a word 
means as how to spell it. 

Webster*s International Dictionary has been used as the authority 
in spelling, defining, and pronunciation. 




VI 


INTRODUCTION. 


The key to pronunciation, carefully studied, will enable the 
student to know, from a glance at its diacritical marks, the right 
pronunciation of a word. Correct pronunciation is quite as impor¬ 
tant as correct spelling. 

The geographical names include some of the largest cities in the 
world, and those most difficult to spell. In a work of this kind it 
is impossible to give a very extensive list, as the number of geo¬ 
graphical words is almost limitless. 

Capital letters have been used to begin words wherever re¬ 
quired, and the lessons should be written in this respect as printed. 

The use of the book may be varied to suit the taste of the teacher 
and needs or qualifications of the pupils. We might suggest that 
spelling “ by ear ” is not a good method where the orthography is 
as arbitrary and inconsistent as in the English language. We only 
need to spell when we write, and not when we pronounce words. 
The dictation exercises should be read through first by the teacher, 
and again slowly, while the pupils write. The short quotations 
may be written at the beginning of each lesson, and the long dicta¬ 
tion exercises, as lessons, in the order they are given. The teacher 
should read the definitions of each of the classified words, after he 
pronounces the word. If the school is small, the teacher, or some 
one selected by him, may correct the lessons. In large classes, the 
students might exchange blanks and correct each other’s work. A 
check mark should be placed opposite each misspelled word, and 
under each error in spelling, capitalization, or punctuation of the 
dictation exercises. One hundred per cent, may be taken as the 
standard of perfection, and five per cent, deducted for each mistake. 
It is well to keep a record of each pupil’s work, for which purpose 
the books should be collected after each lesson, and returned just 
before the beginning of the next. 

To the student. — We suggest that in studying the lessons you 
note carefully the definitions, and endeavor to learn the meaning of 
the words as well as how to spell them. Use great care in writing 
your lessons, with a view to neatness, legibility, and good penman¬ 
ship. You will thus make the spelling lesson a valuable writing 
lesson, and form habits of the greatest importance in business life. 




RULES FOR SPELLING 


[Most rules for spelling have so many exceptions they are not of much use. 
The following may prove of some assistance.] 

1. Monosyllables and words accented on the last syllable, 
when ending in a single consonant (except h and x) preceded by a 
single vowel, double the final consonant when a syllable is added: 
as, clan^ clannish; plan^ planned; hat^ hafter; prefer\ preferred'. 
When the accent of the primitive is thrown back upon another 
syllable, the final letter is not doubled: as, prefer'^ preference ; 
refer'^ reference ; defer'^ deference. The following are exceptions: 
infer'abletransfer'able^ chagrin'ed. 

2. A consonant standing at the end of a word immediately 
after a diphthong or double vowel is never doubled: as, ail^ haul., 
door., maim ; the word guess is the only apparent exception, as the 
u does not strictly form a diphthong with the but serves only to 
render the g hard. 

3. The plural of nouns ending in jf, when_y is preceded by a 
consonant, is formed by changing y into i and adding es : as, lily., 
lilies; lady, ladies. When y is preceded by a vowel, the plural is 
formed by adding s : as, valley, valleys. 

4. The word full, used as an affix, always drops one I ; and 
its compounds form their plurals by adding s to the singular: as, 
handful, handfuls. 

5. Words formed by prefixing one or more syllables to words 
ending in a double consonant, retain both consonants: as, befall, 
rebujf. The exceptions are, withal, annul, until ; also fulfill and 
instill, which may be written fulfil, instil. 

6. In derivatives formed from words ending with silent e, the 
e is generally retained when the termination begins with a consonant: 
as, pale, paleness; hate, hateful; move, movement ; when the e is 
immediately preceded by another vowel (except e'), it is often 
dropped from the derivative: as, due, duly ; true, truly; awe, 
awful. The words wholly, nursling, wisdom, abridgment, acknowl¬ 
edgment, lodgment, and judgment are exceptions. When the affix 
begins with a vowel, the e is generally omitted: as, bride, bridal; 
use, usage ; the e is retained in the words hoeing, shoeing, toeing, 
dyeing, singeing, tingeing. 



KEY TO PRONUNCIATION, 

AND ABBREVIATIONS. 


VOWEI^. 


LONG SOUNDS. 


SHORT SOUNDS. 


а, long, as in 
e, long, as in 
i, long, as in 

б, long, as in 
u, long, as in 
y, long, as in 


. gray, ale. 
peace, eve. 
. fine, ice. 
. note, old. 
. tube, use. 
. style, fly. 


а, short, as in. fat, have. 

б, short, as in. Snd, chSck. 

i, short, as in. ill, fin. 

5, short, as in . . . . . . ndt, tdrrid. 

n, short, as in. fts, study, ttib. 

f, short, as in . . . st, trj^st, abj^ss. 


OCCASIONAL SOUNDS. 


a, as in ...... . air, fare, pair. 

a, Italian, as in . . . hrm, father, flir. 

A, as in.ask, pass, dance. 

a, broad, as in . . . all, talk, swarm, 
a, like short 5, as in . what, wander, 
e, like a, as in . . . ere, heir, where. 

e, like a, as in.eight, prey. 

e, as in.verge, ermine. 

I, like long e, as in . . piqne, police. 
I, like e, as in . . . thirsty, irksome. 


6, like short ft, as in . . . . d6ne, sdn. 
0 , like long ob, as in . . . . dg, mgve. 
9, like short db, as in . w^lf, w^man. 
0 , like broad a, as in . . Order, stork. 

do, as in .mdbn, fdbd. 

db, as in .bdbk, wdbl, flJbt. 

]i, preceded by r, as in, . rpde, rgral. 
n, like short db, as in . full, pqt, pqsh. 
ft, as in .ftrge, bftrn, fftrl. 


REGULAR DIPHTHONGAL SOUNDS. 

ol*, oy*, as in.oil, toy. | on*, ow*, as in. out, owl. 


CONSO]SAISTS. 


g, soft, like s, sharp, as in . ^edc, ^ite. 
€, hard, like k, as in . . -call, success. 
$h, soft, like sh, as in ghaisc, machine, 
oh, hard, like k, as in ohorus, epoeh. 
g, hard, as in . . . get, tiger, begin, 
g, soft, like j, as in gem, engine, elegy, 
s*, sharp, as in ... same, yes, rest, 
g, like z, as in . . hag, amuge, regide. 

♦Unmarked. 


th*, sharp, as in . . . thing, breath, 
th, flat or vocal, as in . thine, smooth. 

ng*, as in. sing, single. 

n, as in. link, upcle. 

X, like gz, as in ... exist, example, 
ph*, like f, as in . . phantom, sylph, 
qu*, like kw, as in . . . queer, quail, 
wh*, like hw, as in what,when,awhile. 


ABRRKVIAXIOI^S. 


a, adjective; aafv. adverb; «. noun; ^/.plural; p. p. participal past; Prep^ 
preposition; v, verb; v. i* verb intransitive; v. t, verb transitive. 




























/ 


WORDS, DEFINITIONS, 

AND 

DICTATION EXERCISES, 

f 

FOR PRACTICE IN 

Spelling, Defining, and Writing, 


LESSON I. 

ORXHOGRAPHV. 

Now the old schoolhouse Is banished, like so many of its race, 

To the elements that wrought it — and a new one holds its place; 

And the spellers write their words down, with a chance their parents lacked. 
For as Bacon hints, “ ’Tis writing that must make a man exact. 


a^'-gSnt, Stress of voice on one syl¬ 

lable of a word more than another, 
af'-fix, n. A syllable added to the end 
of a word. 

ar-pha-bet) n. The letters of a lan¬ 
guage arranged in the customary 
order. 

€6ii'-so-iiaiit, ft. An articulate sound 
usually combined and uttered with a 
vowel sound. 

de-riv'-a-tiye, «. A word formed from 
another word. 

di-a-«rlt'-i€-al marks, ft. pi. Marks 
used to indicate the sounds of letters, 
and aid in pronunciation, 
di^-graph, ft. A union of two vowels 
in one syllable and one sounded, 
diph'-thong (dif'-thong), n. Union of 
two vowel sounds in one syllable, 
dis-sj^l'-la-ble, n. A word of two syl¬ 
lables. 


mdn'-o-s;fl-la-ble, n. Word of one syl¬ 
lable. 

or'-tho-e-py, n. Correct pronunciation 
of words. 

or-thog'-ra-phy, n. Naming the let¬ 
ters of a word in their order. 

pdl'-y-sj^l-la-ble, n. A word of four or 
more syllables. 

pre'-fix, ft. A syllable placed before 
a word. 

prim'-i-tive, n. Not derived from any 
other word. 

tri'-graph, n. A union of three vowels 
in a syllable representing a single 
sound. 

tri-s^l'-la-ble, n. A word of three syl¬ 
lables. 

Sp'-la-ble, ft. A letter or letters uttered 
at a single impulse of the voice. 

vow'-el, ft. A letter whose sound is 

■ uttered at a single impulse of the voice. 

word, ft. The sign of an idea, either 
written, printed, or spoken. 




10 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 2. 

DICTATTIOIS EXBRCISK. 

There they stood, like young globe batters, with no salary enriched, 
Waiting for the words momentous that the dexterous teacher pitched. 

And he hurled the first one at them, like a nicely twisted ball. 

While the catcher just behind them was the horny-handed wall; 

The first boy struck and missed it, and his face was deeply vexed 
As the teacher scowled a cyclone, and vociferated “next.” 

Then a fair-haired maiden tried it with some sympathetic aid. 

And avoiding certain blunders that her predecessor made; 

But she happened, too, to wander from the orthographic text. 

And the teacher smiled in pity, as he softly murmured “ next.” 

Then a cross-eyed boy struck at it, who to this day spells by ear, 

And a red-haired girl attacked it, with her pale eyes full of fear. 

And the word flew on, till one boy, very ignorant but sharp-eyed. 

Spelled it by the only method that had not as yet been tried. 

Then the teacher smiled approval, and with satisfaction said, 

” That is right, my studious scholar, you can go up to the head.”— CarUton. 


LESSON 3. 

WORDS rSKD IX RITSIXKSS. 

No man is born into the world, whose work is not l>orn with him; there is always work and 
tools to work withal, for those who will.— Lowell. 


a-e-^ept'-an^e, n. Bill of exchange, 
when accepted. 

a€-cred'-it, v. t. To give confidence 
or trust to. 

a€-eri[e% v. t. To increase; to augment. 
a€-eu'-mn-late, v. t. To collect or 
bring together. 

ad-yer'-tige-ment, or ad-ver-tl seg¬ 

ment, n. A public notice. 
ad-vi§'-a-ble, a. Prudent, 
a-man-u-en'-sis, n. One who writes 
what another dictates, or copies what 
another has written. 
a-mass% v. t. To accumulate. 
as-slgn-ee% n. One to whom an as¬ 
signment is made. 

bank'-rupt-jy, n. The state of being 
insolvent. 


bar'-gain, n. A gainful or satisfac¬ 
tory transaction, 
bar'-ter, i’- To exchange. 
bo-uaii'-za> n. Any successful ven¬ 
ture. 

bond, n. The writing by which a per¬ 
son binds himself to pay a certain 
sum of money by a given date, under 
certain conditions. 
bul'-Ie-tln, It. Official report, 
bul'-liou, n. Uncoined silver or gold, 
bugi'-iiess (biz'-iies), n. Employ¬ 
ment; occupation, 
bus'-tle, n. Great stir. 
bu§^-y (biz-y), a. Employed; engaged, 
•eap'-i-tal-ist, n. A man who has cap¬ 
ital or stock in trade; usually a man 
of If'xge property. 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


11 


LESSON 4. 

'Words used in Business. 

Our thoughts are ever forming our characters, and whatever they are most absorbed in will 
tinge our lives.” 


€ar'-go, n. Load; freight. 

•casli-ier', n. One who has charge of 
money. 

€har'-a'e-ter, n. Quality of mind; in¬ 
dividuality, 

charge'-a*ble, a. Capable of being 
charged. 

cheat, V. t. To defraud. 
che€k, n. An order for money, on a 
bank, payable on sight. 

€lear-iiig house, n. The place where 
the business of clearing is carried on. 
•clerM-c-al, a. Relating to a clerk or 
copyist. 

•edf-fer, n. A chest or trunk in which 
money is kept. 

eoin, ft. A piece of metal on which 
certain characters are stamped, mak¬ 
ing it legally current as money. 


-edl-lat'-er-al, n. Security given in 
addition to promise. 

•€5m-hi-na'-tion, n. Association; alli¬ 
ance. 

« 5 m'-mer 5 e, n. The exchange of mer¬ 
chandise on a large scale between 
different countries or places. 
€5m-mer'-cial, a. Relating to trade, 
■com-mis'-sion, n. Allowance made to 
an agent for transacting business. 
-eSm-mit'-tee, n. Persons specially ap¬ 
pointed to manage any business, 
•com'-pa-nl', n. A corporation; a firm. 
-cdm'-pSn-sate, v. t. To remunerate. 
•COm'-pe-tent, a. Answering all re¬ 
quirements; capable. 

■c6m-pe-tF-tiou, n. Common strife for 
the same object. 


LESSON 5. 


Words used 

Fortune is ever seen accompanying industry, 
lolling in a coach and six.— Goldsmith. 

€6m-pu-ta'-tion, n. Reckoning. 
«6n-sigii-ee' (-si-nee')> «• A person 
to whom goods are delivered in trust. 
€6n-sigii'-or, n. One who consigns. 
€0-dp'-er-ate, v. i. To concur in action. 
co-part'-iier-sMp, n> A joint interest 
in any matter. 

cor-po-ra'-tion, n. A body politic, al¬ 
lowed by law to act as an individual, 
■couii'-ter-felt, n. A likeness; an im¬ 
poster; an imitation. 

■cou'-pon, n. An interest certificate 
attached to a bond. 

€re-dgn'-tials, n. pi. That which 
gives credit. 

€red'-it-or, n. One who credits or 
trusts. 


in Business. 

and is as often trundling in a wheelbarrow as 

■etir'-ren-gy, n. That which is given 
or taken as representing value. 
«us'-tom-house, «. The house where 
duties are paid 

dam'-age, n. Injury; loss of value, 
deal'-er, n. One who deals or trades, 
debt'-or, n. One who owes another. 
dSf'-al-ea-tor, n. One who embezzles 
money left in his care, 
de-fault'-er, n. One who fails to ac¬ 
count for public money left in his 
care. 

de-fi'-ciSn-Qy, n. Inadequacy; im¬ 
perfection. 

de-fray', v. t. To pay or discharge, 
de-pre'-ci-ate (-shi-ate), v. i. To fall 
in value. 





12 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 6. 

Words used In Business. 


In human life there is constant change of fortune, and it is unreasonable to expect an exempt 
tion from the common fate. I^ife itself decays, and all things are daily changing.— 


dis-bftrse% v. i. To pay out. 
dis-er6p'-an-{y, n. Variance; incon¬ 
sistency. 

dis-lion'-est, Faithless; fraudulent, 
drgw-ee', «. One on whom an order 
or bill of exchange is drawn, 
draw'-er, n. One who draws a bill of 
exchange. 

cF-e-va-tor, n. A mechanical contriv¬ 
ance for lifting persons or freight to 
an upper floor. 

em-bez'-zle, v. t. To appropriate by 
breach of trust. 

Sm^is-sa-ry, n. A person sent on a 
private mission. 


An undertaking. 

To found. 

Accuracy; precision. 
To give and take; 


em-ploy-e', n. One who is employed. 
Sm-po'-ri-fim, n. Center of an exten¬ 
sive trade. 

Sn'-ter-prige, n. 
es-tab'-lish, v. t. 

Sx-a«t'-iiess, n. 
ex-change', v. t. 

to swap. 
ex-p6nse', «. Outlay; cost. 

Sx'-port, n. A commodity sent abroad, 
fi-nince' (-nans), n. Revenue; income, 
fin-hn-^ier', n. One who is skilled in 
money matters, 
firm, n. Partnership, 
flftc'-tu-ate, V. i. To be wavering or 
unsteady. 


LESSON 7. 

Words used In Business. 

Yet still there whispers the small voice within, 
Heard through gain’s silence and o’er glory’s din: 
Whatever creed be taught or land be trod, 

Man’s conscience is the oracle of God.— Byron. 


f5r'-eign, a. Not native; remote, 
fori-feit, v. t. To lose the right to, by 
some misdeed, fault or offense, 
fori-ger-y, n. Producing an imitation, 
to deceive or defraud. 
fr(ind'-u-lent, a. Containing fraud, 
freight, n. Cargo. 

gran'-tee', n. One to whom a g^rant is 
made. 

graiit'-or, n. One by whom a grant is 
made. 

guar-an-tee', v. t. To make sure; to 
warrant. 

hdn'-est-y, n. Trustiness; integrity. 
im-p5rt', v. t. To bring from abroad. 


in-a«'-€u-ra-§y, n. Mistake; error. 
In-eom'-pe-tent, a. Incapable; unfit. 
In-cor-rS-ct', a. Inaccurate; faulty, 
in-erease', v. t. To extend; to spread. 
iu-d$bt'-ed, a. Under obligation. 
in-dSm'-ni-fy, v. t. To make good. 
in-d6n'-ture, n. A mutual agreement 
in writing. 

in-dor-see', n. The person to whom a 
note or bill is indorsed or assigned 
by indorsement. 

in-dors'-er, n. The person who in. 
dorses 

in-dus'-tri-ofts, a. Diligent in business 
or study. 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


13 


LESSON 8. 

Words used Iti Business. 

Next to knowing when to seize an opportunity, the most important thing in life is to know 
when to forego an advantage.— 


in-soF-veii-^y, n. Without means to 
discharge debts. 

I in-teg^-ri-ty, n. Honesty, 
in'-yeu-to-ry, n, A list or account of 
goods and chattels. 

in-ySst'-ment, n. Laying out of money 
in property of a permanent nature, 
in'-yoije, v. t. To insert in a priced 
list. 

jdb'-ber, One who buys goods from 

importers and sells to retailers, 
joint'-ly, adv. Together, 
les-see', n. One to whom a lease is 
given. 

lu'-ere, n. Gain in money or goods. 
ni.am'-nioii, «. Riches; wealth, 
miir'-giii, n. Difference between the 
cost and selling price of an article. 


ma-tu'-ri-ty, n. Arrival of the time 
fixed for payment. 

mer'-can-tile, a. Buying and selling 
of commodities 

mer^-§e-na-ry, a. Governed by greed¬ 
iness of gain. 

mer'-chan-dige, n. The objects of 
commerce. 

meth'-od, n. A regular way of doing 
anything 

met-ro-pdr-i-tan, a. Belonging to a 
metropolis. 

mil'-li-ner-y, n. Articles sold by a 
milliner. 

mil-liou aire', n. One whose wealth 
is counted by millions. 

mis-§el-la'-iie-ous, a. Consisting of 
several kinds. 


LESSON 9. 

Words used in Business. 

“ Be not amazed at life. ^Tis still 
The mode of God with his elect. 

Their hopes exactly to fulfill. 

In times and ways they least expect.” 


mo-ndp'-o-Ust, n. One who takes the 
whole of anything. 

ne-go'-ti-a-ble (-go slu-), a. Transfer¬ 
able by endorsement to another per¬ 
son. 

ni-ek'-el, n. A coin; a greyish white 
metal, very ductile and malleable, 
op-er-a'-tion, n. Mode of action. 
5p'-er-a-tor, n. One who produces an 
effect. 

5p'-u-len§e, n. Wealth, affluence, 
par'-gel, n. A small package, 
part'-ner, n. One who acts, suffers or 
enjoys with another, 
pat'-ent, n. A writing securing exclu¬ 
sive right to an invention. 


pa'-troii, n. One who supports or pro¬ 
tects. 

pay'-a-ble, a. Justly due. 
pay-ee% «. The person to whom mon¬ 
ey is to be paid, 
pay'-er, n. One who pays, 
pe-eu'-ni-ous, a. Full of money, 
peii'-sion, n. An annual allowance 
given from the public treasury, 
per-suade' (-swad), v. t. To influence 
by argument. 

pe-ti'-tiou, «. A request, an entreaty, 
pledge, V. t. To give as security. 
poF i-§y, «. System of management; 
stratagem. 

pdg-ges'-sion, n. Ownership; having 
in one’s power. 








14 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 10. 

Wordiii^ used iu Busiitess. 

Be noble ; and the nobleness that lies 
In other men sleeping, but never dead, 

Will rise in majesty to meet thine own.- Lowell. 


pre'-iiii-fim, n. A -prize to be wou by- 
competition ; something given for the 
loan of money. 

proni'-is-so-ry, a. Containing a prom¬ 
ise of something to be done, 
pro-por'-tioii, n. Symmetrical distri¬ 
bution. 

prdp-o-§i'-tion, n. Offer of terms, 
pro-pri'-e-tor, n. An owner, 
pros'-per-oiis, a. Successful. 
pun-et'-U-al, a. Adhering to the exact 
time of an appointment, 
pur'-clias-a-hle, a. Capable of being 
bought. 

qual'-i-f ied, a. Fitted by accomplish¬ 
ments. 

ras-eal'-i-ty, n. Base fraud. 


rea'-§oii-a-ble, a. Within due limits; 
just. 

re-bate% v. t. To deduct from. 

re-§eipt' (-seet), n. Acknowledgment 
of payment. 

re-§eiv'-er, n. One who receives or 
takes. 

re€-oin-iiieu(l', v. t. To put in a fa¬ 
vorable light before anyone. 

re-e'-om-peiise, n. Reward; compen¬ 
sation. 

re-e'-ti-fy, v. t. To make right. 

re-<leenF-a-ble, a. Subject to repur¬ 
chase; payable. 

ref-er-ee^, n. One to whom a thing is 
referred., 

re-lF-a-ble, a. Trustworthy. 


LESSON II. 

Words used lu Business. 

Sum up at night what thou hast done by day. 
And in the morning what thou hast to do. 
Dress and undress thy son\.— Herbert. 


re-mit'-tau§e, n. The sum or thing 
remitted. 

re-mu-ner-a'-tioii, n. An equivalent 
given for service. 

re-soiir^.e% n. Funds; dependence. 
re-sp8-e'-tive-ly, adv. Relating to each, 
re-spon'-si-ble, a. Accountable, 
res-ti-tu'-tion, n. Making good a loss 
or injury. 

s5-e'-re-ta-ry, n. One employed to 
write letters, etc., and transact other 
business. 

saF-a-ble, a. In good demand. 
saF-a-ry, n. The amount agreed upon, 
to be paid for one’s services, 
sales'-mau, n. One who sells anything. 


s€lied'-iile (sked'-yal), n. A docu 
ment, list, or catalogue, 
s-elieme, n. A design; a project, 
se-eu'-ri-ty, n. One who becomes 
surety for another. 

seiz'-a-ble, a. Liable to be taken. 
shiF'liiig, n. An English coin equal 
to twelve pence. 

sliip'-ment, n. Goods that are shipped, 
slirewd'-ly (slmid^-ly), adv. With 
good guess; sagaciously. 

slirink'-age, n. Reduction in bulk or 
dimensions of anything. 
soF-vent, a. Able to pay all just debts, 
stew'-ard (stu-)? «• An officer of a 
boat, church, or college. 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


16 


LESSON 12. 

liVords used in Business. 

‘We worldly men, when we see friends and kinsmen 
Past hope sunk in their fortunes, lend no hand 
To lift them up, but rather set our feet 
Upon their heads to press them to the bottom.” 


stF-pend, n. Settled pay for services, 
stip'-u-late, V. i. To settle terms, 
stock, n. Money invested in business. 
SU-6-§ess'-fiil, a. Prosperous; fortunate, 
spre'-ty (shpr-)? A bondsman, 
swin'-dler, n. A cheat. 
tax-rF-tion, n. A system of raising 
revenue. 

tes-ti-mo'-ni-al, n. A writing which 
testifies in favor of one’s good con¬ 
duct. 

t6n'-iia^e, n. The whole amount of 
shipping estimated by tons. 
traf'-fi€, Commerce; trade, 
traiis-ac'-tiou, n. Performance of any 
business. 


trib'-iite, n. A personal contribution 
made in token of services rendered, 
uu-for'-tu-uate, a. Unlucky, 
uii-prof'-it-a-ble, a. Useless; not 
profitable. 

va'-«an-§y, 7i. A place or post to be 
filled. 

yal'-u-a-ble, a. Having value. 
yaF-iie, n. Rate or estimated worth, 
ware'-liouse, n. A store house for 
goods. 

war'-raut, v. t. To indemnify against 
loss. 

wealtli'-y, a. Rich. 


LESSON 13. 

BICXA'riOl^ I^X^KRCISB. 

Literature, the ministry, medicine, the law and other occupations, are 
cramped and hindered for want of men to do the work., not want of work to do. 
When people tell you the reverse they speak that which is not true. If you de¬ 
sire to test this you need only hunt up a first-class editor, reporter, business man¬ 
ager, foreman of a shop, mechanic, or artist in any branch of industry, and try to 
hire him. You will find that he is already hired. He is sober, industrious, 
capable and reliable, and is always in demand. He cannot get a day’s holiday 
except by courtesy of his employer or of his city, or of the great general public. 
But if you need idlers, shirkers, half-instructed, unambitious and comfort-seeking 
editors, reporters, lawyers, doctors, and mechanics, apply anywhere .—Mark 
Twain. 


LESSON 14. 

MISCHI^I^AI^EOUS. 

Formerly, when great fortunes were only made in war, war was a business ; but now, when 
great fortunes are only made by business, business is war.—Bovee. 


a-ban'-don, v. t. To forsake wholly; 
to renounce. 

ab-bre'-yi-ate, v. t. To shorten, 
ab'-di-eate, v. t. To cast off; to re¬ 
nounce. 


a-b6ve'-board, adv. Without trick or 
deception. 

a-bridge', v. t. To diminish. 
a-e-§ept', v. i. To receive with favor 
a^-gess' or a-e'-gess, n. Admittance. 






10 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


a^-jSss'-i-ble, a. Approachable. 
a-e-quire% v. t. To gain; to procure. 
a€'-tu-al, a. Truly and absolutely so. 
ad-ap-ta'-tion, «. The act of fitting, 
ad-he'-sive, a. Sticking to. 
ad-mit'-tan§e, n. Permission to enter, 
a-ddpt', V. t. To rec^nve as one’s own. 
a-duF-ter-ate, v, t. To corrupt by 
mixture. 

LESSON 15. 

VOCAXIOI^S. 

The highest excellence is seldom attained in more than one vocation. The roads leading to 
distinction in separate pursuits diverge, and the nearer we approach the one, the farther we 
recede from the other.— 

a'-er-o-ngut, n. A balloonist, 
ap-pren'-ti^e, n. One bound to a per¬ 
son to learn his trade or art. 
ar'-€hi-t^€t, n. One skilled in the art 
of building. 

ar'-ti-§an, n. A skilled mechanic. 
au€-tioii-eer^ n. One who sells goods 
at public sale. 

au'-di-tor, An examiner of accounts. 
brS'-ker, n. One -^ho transacts busi¬ 
ness for another. 

car'-peii-ter, n. An artificer who works 
in timber. 

■ca'-ter-er, n. A provider of provisions. 

€ldth'-ier (-yer), n. One who sells 
cloth or clothing. 

LESSON 16. 

DICXACTION bxbrcise:. 

He was one of those men who achieve 
So little because of the much they conceive. 

He knocked at each one 
Of the door-ways of life, and abided in none. 

His course by each star that would cross it was set, 

And whatever he did he was sure to regret. 

The man who seeks one thing in life, and but one. 

May hope to achieve it before life be done; 

But he who seeks all things, wherever he goe^ 

Only reaps from the hopes which around him he sowf 
A harvest of barren regp-ets .—Owen Meredith, 


■edm-pog'-i-tor, n. One who sets type. 
•€US-to'-di-an, «. A keeper or superin¬ 
tendent. 

ed'-i-tor, n. One who prepares or re¬ 
vises matter for publication, 
en-gi-iieer', n. One who manages an 
engine. 

gla'-zier (-zhur), n. One who sets glass. 
Iiand'-i-eraft, n. Manual occupation, 
janM-tor, n. A doorkeeper; a porter, 
ma-^hiii'-ist, n. One versed in the 
principles of machines. 
me-€han'-i-e, n. One who works with 
instruments. 

ty-pog'-ra-pher (or tf-), «. A printer. 


ad-van'-tage, n. Favorable circum¬ 
stances. 

a-e'-ri-al, a. Belonging to the air. 
8B-rie (e'-ry), n. A nest of a bird of 
prey. 

8BS-th6t'-i«s, I Theory of taste. 

es-thet'-i€s, / ^ 

af-fe-e'-tiou-ate, a. Fond; loving. 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


17 


LESSON 17 . 

PHRXAIT^II^O TO 

" There are two most valuable possessions which no search-warrant can get at, which no exe- 
:ution can take away, and which no reverse of fortune can destroy ; they are what a man puts 
into his brain — knowlkdge: and into his hands — skill.” 


a-biF-i-ty, n. Power; skill, 
a-dept', n. One skilled in any art. 
a-droit% a. Ready in invention or ex¬ 
ecution. 

€a'-pa-ble, a. Having ability, 
euii'-ning, n. Skill; dexterity, 
dex'-ter-ous, a. Expert; skillful in 
manipulation 

ef-fP cient, a. Energetic and useful 
activity. 

gx-pert'-ness, n. Skill derived from 
practice. 

Sx-pe'-ri-en^e, n. To train by prac¬ 
tice ; to try personally. 
fa-?ir-i-ty, Ease in performance. 


in-a-biP-i-ty, n. Lack of power, 
strength or resources, 
in-ea'-pa-ble, a. Incompetent, unfit, 
disqualified. 

kna-ek, n. Habitual easiness of per¬ 
formance. 

man'-age-ment, n. Skillful treatment, 
ma-nip'-u-late, v, t. To operate with 
the hands in a skillful manner. 
iiP-^e-ty, n. Delicate management. 
p5s'-si-ble, a. Capable of being done. 
pro-fP-cieut, a. Well skilled. 
skilP-fiil, a. Able in management; 
well versed. 

tdP-er-a-bly, adv. Moderately well. 


LESSON 18. 

HOMOPHONOUS WORDS. 

‘ Of all the good things in this good world around us, 

The one most abundantly furnished and found us 
And which, for that reason, we least care about. 

And can best spare our friends, is good counsel, no doubt.” 


i'-bel, n. The name of a man. 
a'-ble, a. Having ability or compe¬ 
tency of any and every kind. 

ail, V. i. To be sick, 
ale, n. A kind of liquor. 

air, n. The atmosphere. 
hSir, «. One who inherits. 

aisle (il), n. A passage in a church, 
isle, n. An island. 

ant, n. An insect, 
finnt, A parent’s sister. 


aP-ter, v. t. To make some change in. 
aP-tar, n. The communion table. 
as-Qent', n. Motion upward, 
as-sent', n. Consent, 
ate, V. /. Past of eat. 
eight, n. A number, 
au'-ger, n. A carpenter’s took 
au'-gur, V. t. To predict or foretell, 
gwl, n. A shoemaker’s tool, 
gii, The whole quantity. 





18 


BUSINESS SERIES. ♦ 


LESSON 19. 

WORDS USKO II^ B00KKHBI»IT«G. 

Success in business is seldom owing to uncommon talents or original power which is un. 
tractable and self-willed, but to the greatest degree of commonplace capacity.— 


a€-€Ount'-aiit, n. One emploj^^ed or 
skilled in keeping accounts. 
a-e'-€ii-ra-^y, n. Exactness, 
ag'-gre-gate, n. Whole amount, 
an'-uu-al, n. Yearly, 
bar-aii^e, n. The excess on one side 
added to the other to make equality. 

baL-an^e sheet, n, A paper giving a 
summary and balance of accounts, 
blank, a. Unwritten; white, 
bdbk'-keep-ing, «. The keeping of ac¬ 
counts. 

€Ount'-iiig-liouse, n. The room for 
keeping accounts. - 
dai'-ly, a. Happening every day. 


day'-bobk, n. An account book of orig¬ 
inal entries describing transactions, 
deb'-it, V. t. To charge with debt, 
doflb-le eii'-try, n. A mode of book¬ 
keeping in which two entries are made 
for each transaction, 
joiir'-nal, n. A record book in which 
the tran.sactions are arranged for 
posting. 

ledg'er, it. The final book of accounts 
in business transactions, 
sum'-ma-ry, n. A general statement, 
to'-tal, n. The whole sum or amount, 
sem-i-an'-nii-al, a. Half yearly, 
set'-tle-meiit, n. Payment of accounts, 
tri-en'-ni-al, a. Once in every three 
years. 


LESSON 20. 

RBRXAIJiilliJG XO KXRKISDIXURB. 

Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great Franklin. 


41-low'-aiiQe, n. A sum or portion ap¬ 
pointed. 

e-eo-nom'-i-e-al, a. Managing with 
frugality. 

§S-dr^-bi-tant, a. Extravagant; excess¬ 
ive. 

ex-pend'-i-ture, n. A laying out, as 
of money. 

ex-pen'-sive, a. Costly, 
ex-tor'-tion, n. Unlawful exaction, 
ex-tray'-a-gant, a- Profuse in expense; 
wasteful. 

frp-gaP-i-ty, ft. Prudent economy, 
im-prdv'-i-dent, a. Not providing for 
what will happen in the future, 
lay'-ish, a. Wasteful; profuse. 
mE-ger-ly, a. Stingy. 


nig'-gard, n. A person meanly closi» 
and covetous; a miser. 

out-ra'-geous, a. Exceeding the lir?^- 
its of reason. 

par-si-mo'-m-ous, a. Frugal to excess; 
close; saving. 

pe-nu'-ri-ous, a. Very saving in tne 
use of money. 

pin' m6n-ey, n. A sum of money al¬ 
lowed for private expenses, as mat 
of a husband to his wife. 

prod'-i-gal, n. One who spends money 
extravagantly. 

pro-fuse', a. Liberal to excess; lavish. 

spend'-tlirift, n. One who spends 
money profusely. 

stin'-gi-ness, n. Extreme avarice. 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


19 


LESSON 21. 

UICTAXIOPJ EXER-CISK. 

“ Foolish spending is the father of poverty. Do not be ashamed of hard 
work. Work for the best salary or wages you can get, but work for half price 
rather than be idle. Be your own master, and do not let society or fashion swal¬ 
low up your individuality — hat, coat, and boots. Do not eat up nor wear all you 
can earn. Compel your selfish body to spare something for profit saved. Be 
stingy to your own appetite, but merciful to others’ necessities. Help others, 
and ask no help yourself. See that you are proud. Let your pride be of the 
right kind. Be too proud to be lazy; too proud to give up without conquering 
every difficulty; too proud to wear a coat you cannot afford to buy; too proud 
to be in such company that you cannot keep up with expenses; too proud to lie 
or steal, or cheat; too proud to be stingy.” 


LESSON 22. 

MISCHI^I^AXBOUS. 

Study yourselves, and most of all, note well 
Wherein kind nature invites you to excel.— Longfellow. 


a'-li-as, adv. Otherwise called, 
al-lay', v. t. To abate; to subside. 
al-le'-Ti-ate, v. t. To make light or 
easy to be borne. 

al-loy', n. A baser metal mixed with 
a finer. 

aP-ter-nate, v. t. To perform by turns, 
al-to-geth'-er, adv. With united action, 
am-bi'-tion, n. Desire for office or 
honor, success or fame, 
aii'-i-mate, v. t. To give life to. 
an-nex-a'-tion, n. Addition; union.^ 
aii-noun<2e'-ment, n. Giving public 
notice. 

ap-par'-ent, a. Plain; easy to be seen. 


ar-ti-fi'-cial (-fish'-al), a. Not genu¬ 
ine; unnatural. 

a-sy'-lum, n. A place of retreat and 
security. 

at-tach', V. t. To bind, fasten or tie 
at-tempt', v. i. To make an effort oi 
endeavor. 

at'-tri-bute, n. An essential or neces¬ 
sary property or characteristic. 
ben-e-fF-cial ( f ish'-al), a. Profitable 
bev'-er-age, n. A drink, 
bom-bast'-ic, Inflated; big without 
. meaning. 

brick'-kiln, n. A kiln for burning 
brick. 


LESSON 23. 

DRY GOODS. 

And why take ye thought for raiment ? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they 


toil not; neither do they spin.— Bible. 

al-pa-e'-a, n. A thin kind of cloth made 
of the wool of the alpaca, 
ban-dan^-na) n- A kind of silk or cot¬ 
ton handkerchief. 

«al'-i-«o, n. Cotton cloth. 

€am'-bri€, n. A fine, thin, white fabric 
of flax or linen. 


-eash'-mere, n. A fine woolen dress 
goods. 

«as'-si-mere, n. A thin, twilled woolen 
cloth for men’s garments, 
•eor'-du-roy, n. A thick, cotton stuff, 
corded or ribbed on the surface. 





20 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


\ 


flan'-uel, n. A woolen cloth of loose 
texture. 

gin^-ham, n. A kind of cotton cloth, 
the yam of which is colored before it 
is woven. 

hand'-ker-chief, n. A cloth carried 
for wiping the face and hands. 

mu§'-lin, ft. A thin, cotton cloth of 
any kind. 

iiie-rE-no, n. A thin fabric of merino 
wool for ladies’ wear. 

par^-a-s61, «. A small umbrella used 
by ladies to protect them from the 
rays of the sun. 

rib'-boii, n. A narrow web of silk. 


skgin, n. A quantity of yarn* or silk 
taken from the reel, 
tap'-es-try, ft. A kind of woven hang¬ 
ing of wool or silk. 

um-brer-14, n. A shade carried in the 
hand to shelter one from the sun, 
rain or snow. 

va-len-^i-Sniie§', «. A rich kind of/ 
lace. 

yeE-vet, ft. A soft material woven from 
silk, or silk and cotton mixed, having 
short thread or pile on the surface, 
wad'-ding, «. Sheets of carded cotton 
for padding garments, 
wa'-ter-prdbf, n. A kind of cloth im 
pervious to water. 


LESSON 24. 

OICTAXIOPi HXKRCISB. 

Stick to your legitimate business. Do not go into outside operations. Few 
men have brains enough for more than one business. To dabble in stocks, to put 
a few thousand dollars into a mine, and a few more into a manufactory, and a 
few more into an invention, is enough to ruin any man. Be content with fair 
returns. Do not become greedy. Do not think that men are happy in propor¬ 
tion as they are rich, and therefore do not aim too high. Be content with mod¬ 
erate wealth. Make friends. A time will come when all the money in the world 
will not be worth to you so much as one good, staunch friend.— Beecher. 


LESSON *25. 

TO CBOXHING. 

Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, but not expressed in fancy ; rich, not gaudy ; for the 


apparel oft proclaims the razn.—Shakespeare. 

ap-par'-el, n. Garments; dress. 

bal-mdr'-al, n. A kind of figured pet¬ 
ticoat. 

bdn'-net, n. A covering for the head. 

■era-vat^ n. A piece of fine cloth worn 
by men around the neck. 

5m-broid'-er-y, n. Ornamental deco¬ 
ration. 

fash'-ion-a-ble, a. Dressed according 
to the prevailing fashion. 


ft. A light pointed cape worn 
by ladies, usually made of lace. 

ma-te'-ri-al, n. The substance of 
which anything is made. 

o'-yer-allg, n. pi. Loose trousers worn 
over others to protect them from be¬ 
ing soiled. 

pin'-a-fore, n. A child’s apron. 

raE-ment, n. Clothing, 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


21 


shawl) n. A loose covering for the 
neck and shoulders, 
sllp'-per, n. A kind of light shoe 
which may be slipped on with ease, 
serv'-i^e-a-ble, a. Prepared for giving 
good service. 

sus-pend'-er§, n. pL Straps worn for 
holding up pantaloons, 
toi'-let, n. Mode of dressing. 


trous-sean' (trdh-s6'), n. The outfit 
of a lady when about to be married, 
including clothes, etc. 

trou'-ger§, n. pi. A garment worn by 
men and boys. 

vogue, n. The fashion of people; 
temporarv mode. 

waist'-«oat, n. A vest. 


LESSON 26. 

HOMOPHO^OVS WORDS. 

But yoxi who seek to give and merit fame 
And justly bear a critic’s noble name, 


Be sure yourself and 
How far your genius 

aught (awt), n. Anything; any part, 
ought (awt), auxiliary v. Should. 

bail, n. Security, 
bale, n. A large bundle. 

ball, n. A globe, 
bawl, V. i. To cry noisily. 

base, The foundation, 
bass or base, «. The lowest part in 
music. 

bell, n. A resounding metallic vessel. 
b§lle, n. A beautiful young lady and 
much admired. 


your own reach to know, 
taste and learning go.—Pope. 

blew' (blu), V. t. Past of blow. 

blue, n. A color; azure. 

been (bin), v. i. Past of be. 

bill, n. A kind of box or enclosed 
space. 

bough (boil), n. A branch of a tree. 

bow (bou), V. t. To bend. 

beau (bo), n. A lady’s attendant or 
suitor. 

bow (bo), n. A weapon; doubling of 
a string in a knot. 

bread, n. A kind of baked food. 

bred, v. i. Trained; educated. 


LESSON 27. 

HARDWARE. 


What stronger breast-plate than a heart untainted? 

Thrice is he arm’d that hath his quarrel just; 

And he but naked, though lock’d in steel. 

Whose conscience with injustice is Shakespeare. 


adz, n. A carpenter’s tool for chipping, 
an'-vil, n. An iron block upon which 
metals are hammered and shaped, 
au'-ger-bit, n. A bit with a cutting 
edge or blade like that of an auger, 
ax'-le, n. A transverse bar-connecting 
the hubs of the opposite wheels of a 
car or carriage. 


bu«'-kle, n. An instrument, usually 
of metal, consisting of a rim with a 
movable tongue or catch, used for 
fastening straps together, 
clug'-el, n. An iron or steel instrument, 
sharpened to a cutting edge at the end. 
€dl'-au-der, «. A vessel with a perfo¬ 
rated bottom. 







22 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


fau'-^et, n. A fixture for drawing 
liquid from a cask or vessel. 

f er'-rule (f er'-ril), n. A ring of metal 
put around a cane, tool handle, etc., 
to prevent splitting. 

liam'-mer, n. An instrument for driv¬ 
ing nails, consisting of a metal head 
fixed crosswise to a handle. 

ham^-mo€ik, n. A kind of hanging bed. 

hatch^-et, «. A small ax with a short 
handle, to be used with one hand. 

i'-ron (i'-hrn), n. One of the metallic 
elements, hard, and very malleable 
when hot; it is the most useful of all 
metals. 


knife, «. An instrument usually con¬ 
sisting of a thin blade of steel, with a 
sharp edge, fastened to a handle. 
kn5b (ii5b), n. Part of a lock. 
ku6ek'-er, n. A kind of hammer fast¬ 
ened to a door, to be used in seeking 
admittance. 

latch, n. A small piece of iron or 
wood used to fasten a door, 
le'-ver or lev'-er, n. A bar of metal, 
wood or other substance, used to exert 
a pressure or sustain a weight. 
mat'-t6-ck, n. A kind of a pick-ax 
having the iron ends broad instead of 
pointed. 

m6nk'-ey wrench, «. A wrench hav¬ 
ing a movable jaw. 


LESSON 28. 

Hardware. 

Iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.— Proverbs. 


nip'-perg, n. pi. Small pincers for 
holding, breaking, or cutting. 

pinch'-er§, n. pi. An instrument for 
drawing nails or gripping things to 
be held fast. 

puF-ley, n. A wheel with a grooved 
rim, for transmitting power from or 
imparting power to the different parts 
of machinery. 

ra'-zor, n. An instrument for removing 
the beard or hair. 

re-v61v'-er, n. A repeating firearm. 

riv'-et, n. A pin of iron or other 
metal with a head. 

stjis'-gorg, n. pi. An instrument for 
cutting, smaller than shears. 

S€ut'-tle, n. A wide-mouthed vessel 
for holding coal. 

s<jythe, n. An instrument for mowing. 

sh6Y'-el, n. An instrument used for 
throwing earth or loose substances. 


sieve, n. A utensil for separating the 
fine part of any substance from the 
coarse. 

sti-let'-to, n. A small dagger with a 
round, pointed blade, 
tbngs, n. pi. An instrument used for 
handling fire or heated metals, 
trow'-el, n. A mason’s tool used for 
spreading and dressing mortar, 
twine, n. A strong thread composed 
of two or three smaller threads or 
strands twisted together, 
waf'-fle i-roi», n. A utensil for bak¬ 
ing waffles. 

wash'-er, n. A ring of metal or other 
material used to relieve friction and 
to secure tightness of joints, 
wire, n. A thread of metal, 
wring'-er, n. An instrument for for¬ 
cing water out of anything, 
zin-e, n. A metal of a brilliant white 
color. 







SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


23 


LESSON 29. 

Honor and shame from no condition rise, 

Act well your part, there all the honor lies.—/h/A 


«a-jole% V. t. To deceive or delude 
by flattery. 

€ar-lous, a. Hardened. 

«an'-^el, v. i. To efface. 

(jeP-lu-loid, n. A compound manu¬ 
factured from several ingredients, and 
resembling coral, ivory, amber, etc. 
tjen'-sus, n. An official registration of 
inhabitants. 

^iv-il-i-za'-tion, n. Refinement; cul¬ 
ture. 

€5g-no'-men, n. A stimame. 
€o-in'-5i-deiiQe, n. Occurrence of 
events at the same time. 

•edm'-ma, n. A mark used to denote a 
short pause. 


•edm-mu'-iii-ty, n. ^ society of people 
having common rights. 

■cdn-^eaF, v. t. To hide, 
•edn-^en'-trate, v. A To bring to a 
common center. 

•con-^ir-i-ate, t. To win over. 
•e5n-€rete% n. A compound, 
■cdii-cur'-rent, a. Agreeing in the 
same act. 

■con-dense', v. t. To make more com¬ 
pact. 

■c6n-se€'-u-tive, a. Following in the 

same order. 

-cdn'-se-quent, a. Following as a result. 
«6n-s61'-i-date, v. t. To unite. 
•c6n-spie'-u-ous, a. Easy to be seen. 


LESSON 30. 

S'TAXlOI'iBR.S’ GOODS. 

Books are true levelers. They give to all who faithfully use them, the society, the spiritual 
presence, of the greatest and best of our race.-i Channing. 


al'-bnm, n. A blank book in which to 
insert autographsl^ 

blot'-ting pa-per, n. A kind of paper 
serving to absorb wet ink, and thus 
prevent blots. 

€ard'-board, n. A stiff paper or paste¬ 
board for making cards, etc. 

dii-o-de^'-i-mo, n. A book in which 
a sheet is folded in twelve leaves. 

en'-vel-ope or en-yel'-op, n. A wrap¬ 
per; a cover, especially of a docu¬ 
ment, as a letter. 

f 61'-io, a. Formed of sheets folded so 
as to make two leaves. 

fonn'-tain pen, n. A pen with a res¬ 
ervoir furnishing a continuous sup¬ 
ply of ink> 


lead' pen-^il, n. An instrument for 
drawing or making lines, made of 
black lead. 

ma-ml'-la paper, n. A very durable 
kind of brown paper, made of Manilla 
hemp. 

mem-o-ran'-dttm bdbk, «. A book in 
which memoranda are -written. 

mn'-^i-lage, n. An aqueous solution 
of gum. 

d-C-ta'-YO, n. A book composed of 
sheets folded so as to make eight 
leaves. 

paste'-board, n. A stiff, thick kind of 
paper, formed of several single sheets 
pasted one upon another. 

pro'-gra m or pro'-gramme, «. A brief 
outline of the order of the subjects 
embraced in any public exercise. 






BUSINESS SERIES. 


24 


quar'-to, a. Formed of sheets folded 
so as to make four leaves. 

sta'-tiou-er-y, «. The articles usually 
sold by a stationer, as paper, ink, etc. 

tab'-lets, n. pi. A set of leaves of thin 
material for \mting. 


val'-en-tiiie, n. A love letter sent by 
young persons to each other on Val¬ 
entine’s day, February 14 th. 
vel'-lum, n. A fine kind of parchment 
rendered clear and white for writing, 
wrap'-ping pa-per, n. A coarse papei 
for tying up parcels. 


LESSON 31. 

UICXATTIOI^ HXHRCISH. 

Ah me! the while I stop to think 
What Shakespeare did with pen and ink! 

I wonder how his ink was made — 

If blue or purple was the shade; 

His pen — broad-nibbed and rather stiff, 
Like this, or fine ? I wonder if 
He tried a “Gillott,” thirty-nine, 

Or a “ Spencerian” pen, like mine ? 

Or was it brains ? No ink, I know, 

Will really make ideas fiow. 

Nor can the most ingenious pen 
Make wits and poets of dull men. 

So this the miracle explains, 

He used his pen and ink with brains. 

Mine is the harder task, I think, 

To write with only pen and ink.— Century. 


LESSON 32. 

WORDS RHRXAIXIXG XO WRIXIXG. 

The tongue is not the only -way 

Through which the active mind is heard. 

But the good pen as well can say. 


In tones as swe( 

bil'-let-dgux (bilMe-ddb). n. A love 
note or letter. 

€ar-i-graph, n. A writing machine. 
«al-lig'-ra-phy or -ea-li^-ra-pliy, n. 

Fair or elegant penmanship. 
«hi-rd^-ra-phy, n. The art of writing, 
•edr-re-spdnd', v. i. To communicate 
by writing letters. 

«ray'-on, n. A pencil, 
e-pis'-tle, n. A letter. 

n. A scratching out. 


, a gentle word.— P. R. Spencer. 

es-«rI-toire' (-twar), A writing 
desk. 

hi-er-o-gljfph'-i«, n. A mystical sym¬ 
bol in ancient writing. 

il-le^'-i-ble, a. Incapable of being 
read. 

in-s«rIp'-tion, n. That which is writ 
ten or engraved on a solid substance. 

16g'-i-ble, a. Capable of being read. 

man'-u-s€ript, n. A written as dis¬ 
tinguished from a printed document. 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


26 


p^u'-mau-ship, n. The art of writing; 
mannef of writing. 

n. Bad writing. 

s-crlb'-bllng, n. The act of writing 
hastily and carelessly. 


ste-ndg'-ra-pher, n. One skilled in 
stenography. 

ste-ii6g'-ra-phy, n. The art of writ¬ 
ing in shorthand. 

type'-wri-ter, n. A writing machine. 


LESSON 33. 

HOMOPHO^OVS WORDS. 

Candor is the seal of a noble mind, the ornament and pride of man, the sweetest charm of 
woman, the scorn of rascals, and the rarest virtue of sociability.— Bentzel-Sterman. 


beat, V. /. To strike, 
beet, n. A vegetable. 

beech, n. A kind of tree, 
beach, n. The shore of the sea. 

beer, n. A malt liquor. 

bier, n. A frame for carrying the dead. 

bold'-er, a. More bold. 
bowF-der, n. A large stone. 

bole, «. A kind of fine earthy clay, 
boll, n. The pod of a plant, as of flax, 
bowl, n. A concave vessel. 


bdr'-ongh (bur'-ro), n. An incorpo¬ 
rated town that is not a city. 

bur'-row, n. A hole in the ground made 
by certain animals, for habitation. 

bourne, n. A point aimed at. 
borne, p. p. of bear. Carried, 
born, p. p. of bear. Brought into life. 

bnr'-y, v. i. To cover out of sight, 
ber'-ry, n. A small kind of fruit, 
brid'al, a. Pertaining to marriage, 
bri'-dle, n. A curb; a check. 


LESSON 34. 

GROCHRIKS. 

“ I^t not thy table exceed the fourth part of thy revenue ; too much Is a vanity; enough is a 
feast.” 


ftlF-spicje, n. A spice of a mildly pun¬ 
gent taste. 

bis'-enit, n. Unfermented bread. 

€ay-Snne' pep per, n. A very pun¬ 
gent pepper. 

ch6«'-o-late, n. A paste used for mak¬ 
ing a beverage. 

5 iu'-na-mon, n. The inner bark of a 
tree growing in Ceylon. 

«6f'-fee, n. A drink made from the 
roasted berry of the coffee tree. 

^Sl'-a-tine, n. A concrete animal sub¬ 
stance. 

grease, Animal fat in a soft state. 


grd'-^er-y, n. A grocer’s store. 

hdm'-i-ny, n. Com, prepared for food 
by hulling. 

in'-dl-go, n. Blue coloring matter. 

• ma€-a-r6'-ni, n. An article of food 
composed of paste. 

mo-las'-se§, n. The syrup which drains 
from sugar. 

sal-e-ra'-tus, n. A bicarbonate of pot¬ 
ash. 

sir'-np or sfr'-np, n. Sweetened liquid 
of any kind. 

su^-ar (shdb^-ar), n. A sweet crys¬ 
talline substance. 






26 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


tap-i-o'-€a, ft. A coarsely granular 
substance obtained from the roots of 
a plant found in Brazil. 
to-ba-c'-€0, n. A plant much used for 
chewing and smoking. 


ver-mi-Qel'-li, «. The flour of a hard 
small-grained wheat made into dough 

yeast, «. Preparation for raising 
dough for bread or cake. 


LESSON 35. 

FISH AND FOWI^. 

Master, I marvel how the fishes live in the sea. 

Why, as men do a-land : the great ones eat up the little ones — Shakespeart. 


an-cho'-yy, n. A small fish of the 
herring family, caught in the Medi¬ 
terranean Sea. 

■can'-yas-back, n. A species of sea 
duck, highly esteemed for the delica¬ 
cy of its flesh, 
eel, n. A snake-like fish, 
giiin'-ea fowl, n. A fowl of a dark 
grey color, variegated with white 
spots. 

had'-doek, n. A sea fish,a little smaller 
than a cod, which it resembles. 
haP-i-but, n> A large sea fish, some 
weighing 400 or more pounds, 
lier'-ring, n. A small fish. 

Idb'-ster, n A marine shell fish, 
maek^-er-el, n. A marine fish found 
in the North Atlantic, 
mfts'-kel-luuge, n. A large kind of 
pike found in the Northern Lakes, 
St. Lawrence and Ohio rivers. 


oys'-ter, n. A mollusk with a bivalve 
shell, extensively used for food. 
phea§'-ant, «• A wild fowl, the flesh 
of which is used for food, 
pi-ck'-er-el, n. A fresh-water fish, be¬ 
longing to the pike family, 
pi'-geou, n. A small bird of several 
species. 

salm'-ou (sam'-iin), n. A fish of a 
yellowish red color. 

smelt, n. A small fish of a silvery 
white color. 

stfir'-geon (-jun), n. A large fish, 
tbr'-bot, n. A flat fish with a ^body 
nearly circular. It grows to the 
weight of 20 or 30 pounds, and is much 
esteemed by epicures, 
tiir'-key, n. A large fowl, the flesh of 
which is valued for food, 
tur'-tle, n. A sea tortoise, the flesh of 
which is esteemed as a great delicacy. 


LESSON 36. 

FFH'rAIIVi:NG XO FOOD. 

▲ fig for your bill of fare ; show me your bill of company.— Swift. 


al-bu'-meii, n. White of eggs. 
€u'-li-iia-ry, a. Relating to the kitch¬ 
en or art of cookery. 

^e'-re-al, n. Any edible grain, as 
wheat, rye, etc. 

de-li'-cioiis (-lisli'-us), a. Affording 
exquisite pleasure to the taste, 
eat'-a-ble, a. Proper for food. 


far-i-na'-ceous (-shus), a. Made of 
meal or flour. 

glut'-ton-y, n. Excess in eating. 

liealtii^-ful, a. Wholesome, serving 
to promote health. 

jtii^e, n. The watery part of fruit or 
vegetables. 

lus'-cious (lush'-fis), a. Delicious. 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


27 


iiias'-ti-«ate, v. t. To chew. 

II ii'-tri-ment, n. That which nourishes. 

uu-trP tioiis (-trish'-ns), a. Nour¬ 
ishing. 

pal'-a-ta-hle, a. Agreeable to the taste, 
pro-vi'-gioii, n. A stock of food. 


rav'-en-oiis, a. Hungry, even to rage, 
rel'-ish-a-ble, a. Having an agreeable 
taste. 

sa'-ti-ate (sa'-slii-ate), v. t. To satisfy 
the appetite to the full. 
sa'-Yor-y, a. Relishable. 

Yict'-ualg (yit'-lz), n. Sustenance; food. 


LESSON 37. 

DICTAXIOri HXHRCISK. 

We may live without poetry, music and art; 

We may live without conscience, and live without heart; 

We may live without friends; we may live without books; 

But civilized man cannot live without cooks. 

He may live without books — what is knowledge but grieving? 

He may live without hope — what is hope but deceiving ? 

He may live without love — what is passion but pining ? 

But where is the man that can live without dining ?— Owen Meredith. 


LESSON 38. 

A XKO vs. 

Words are things, and a small drop of ink. 

Falling, like dew, upon a thought, produces 

That which makes thousands, and perhaps millions, Byron. 


•edu'-sti-tnte, v. t. To make up; to 
compose. 

■Con-tra«t', v. t. To shorten; to lessen. 
€on-tiili)'-ute, v. t. To furnish in part, 
■eo-iiun'-drum, n. A puzzling question. 
■con-Yen'-ien-Qy, n. That which is con¬ 
venient. 

€6n'-ver-saiit, a. Well informed. 
^dii-Yin^e^ V. t. To satisfy by proof. 
€or'-o-net, n. An inferior crown worn 
by noblemen. 

•cor-rode% v. t. To eat away by degrees. 
€ds-met'-ic, n. An application to im¬ 
prove the complexion. 

€ 0 -tir-lioii (-yun), n. A brisk dance 
performed by eight persons. 


crea'-tnre, n. An animal; a man. 
•crdY'-I^e, n. A narrow opening; a cleft, 
■erib'-bage, n. A game of cards, 
■cri'-sis, n. The point of time when 
anything must terminate or take a 
new course. 

€rit'-i-e-al-ly, adv. With nice discern¬ 
ment ; in a critical manner. 

«ro-cliet' («ro-sha')> A netting 

made with a small hook. 

-ero-qnet' (kro-kaO, A game played 
with balls, mallets and hoops or arches. 
€rouch, V. i. To stoop low; to lie close 
to the ground, as an animal. 

■crumb, n. 'A small fragment or piece 
of bread or other food. 





28 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 39. 

F'R.UI'T. 

The native orchard’s fairest trees, wild springing on the hill, 

B^r no such precious fruits as these, and never will, 

Till axe and saw and pruning knife cut from them every bough, 
And they receive a gentler life than crowns them now. — Holland. 


ap'-ple, ft. The fruit of the apple tree. 
a'-pri-e5t, n. A fruit of the plum 
species. 

ba-na'-ni, n. A tropical fruit. 
€iin'-ta-loupe, n. A small, round, 
ribbed variety of muskmelon. 
cher'-ry, n. A fruit of the prune spe¬ 
cies. 

<jit'-ron, n. The fruit of the citron 
tree, resembling a lemon, 
■co'-eoa-nfit, n. The nut or fruit of 
the cocoa. 

g^§e'-ber-ry, n. The fruit of a small 
shrub. 

hfi€'-kle-b6r-ry or In. The 

wlior'-tle-bSr-ry (hwftrt'-l-), /fruit of 
a low shrub. 

lem'-on, n. An oval fruit containing 
an acid pulp. 


lime, «. A fruit like the lemon, smaller 
and more intensely sour, 
mul'-ber-ry, n. The fruit of a tree. ' 
mttsk'-mel-on, n. A species of melon 
so called from its musky fragrance, 
peach, n. A Persian apple; a tree and 
its fruit. 

pine'-ap-ple, n. A tropical plant and 
its fruit. 

p6me'-gran-ate, n. A fruit as large 
as an orange, of a reddish color and 
having numerous seeds, 
qniii^e, n. A fruit with an acid taste 
and pleasant flavor, 
rai'-gin, n. A grape dried in the sun 
or by artificial heat, 
ragp'-ber-ry, n. A plant and its fruit, 
straw'-ber-ry, n. The fruit of a small 
plant. 


as-par'-a-gfis, n. 

vegetable. 

€ab'-bage, n. A garden plant, 
ear'-rot, n. A vegetable having an 
esculent root. 

€au'-U-flow-er, n. A variety of cab¬ 
bage. 

<jer-er-y, n. A plant of the parsley 
family. 

•eu'-«iim-ber, n. A vegetable used un¬ 
ripe as a salad. 

ghr'-li-e, n. A plant having a bulbous 
root and strong smell, 
let'-tu^e (-tis), n. A plant', the leaves 
of which are used for salad. 


du'-ion (uii'-yuii), n. The bulb of a 

plant used for food. 

pars'-ley, n. A plant, the leaves of 
which are used in cooking, 
pars'-uip, n. A plant with a white 
spindle-shaped root, used for food, 
po-ta'-to, n. A plant with a farinaceous 
tuber used for food. 

piimp'-kin, n. A well known trailing 
plant and its fruit. 

rad'-Ish, n. A plant, the root of which 
is eaten raw as a salad, 
rp-ta-ba'-ga, n. A Swedish turnip, 
sal'-sl-ff, n. Vegetable oyster. 


LESSON 40. 

But look at that bin of potatoes ! Those are my beautiful Carters; 
Every one doomed to be martyrs 

To the eccentric desire of Christian people to skin them. 

Brought to the trial of fire for the good that is in — Holland. 

A garden plant or 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


29 


spin^ ach (spin'-Jj), n. A plant whose 
leaves are used for greens. 

t o-ma^-to or to-ma'>to,«. A plant and 
its fruit 


thr'*ilip 9 n. A plant with a bulbous 
root. 

v 6 ^-e-ta-ble, n. A plant used for cu¬ 
linary purposes. 


LESSON 41. 

WORDS PRRXAIKI^O XO AGRICVI^XVRE:. 

“ We must not hope to be mowers and gather the ripe, gold ears, 

Until we have first been sowers and watered the furrows with tears.” 


a'-cre, n. Piece of land containing 
160 square rods. 

ag^-ri-eill-ture, «. The art of culti¬ 
vating the ground. 

ar'-a-ble, a. Fit for plowing or tilling, 
efil'-ti-yate, v. /. To till, 
fer'-tile, a. Rich; fruitful, 
fer'-ti-lize, v. t. To make fertile or 
enrich. 

gran'-a-ry, n. A store-house for grain 
after it is threshed; a com house. 
har'-vest-hSme, «. The feast made at 
the gathering of the harvest. 
hdr'-ti-«ul-ture, n. Cultivation of a 
garden. 

loam'-y> a- Consisting of sand, clay 
and carbonate of lime with decaying 
vegetable matter. 


marsh'-y, a. Wet; boggy. , 

m$ad'-ow, n. A tract of low, level 
grass land. 

dr'-chard, n. An enclosure or collec¬ 
tion of fruit trees. 

pds'-tur-age, n. Land appropriated 
to gfrazing. 

phds'-phate, «. A fertilizer formed of 
phosphoric acid and salt, 
plough or plow, n. An implement for 
tinning up the soil. 

V. t\ To live or dwell in 
the country. 

stfir'-ile, a. Producing little or no 
crop; barren. 

till'-a-ble, a. Capable of being tilled 
trough (trgwl ), n. A long tray. 


LESSON 42. 

DICXAXIOK KXBRCISH. 

The time for toil has passed and night has come — 

The last and saddest of the harvest eves;. 

Worn out with labor, long and wearisome. 

Drooping and faint, the reapers hasten home, 

Each laden with his sheaves. 

My spirit grieves that I am burdened, not so much with grain, 
As with a heaviness of heart and brain; 

Behold my sheaves I Few, light and worthless, yet their weight 
Through all my frame a we^ry aching leaves; 

For long I struggled with my hopeless fate, 

And stayed and toiled till it was dark and late — 

Yet well I know I have more tares than wheat — 

Brambles and flowers, dry stalks and withered leaves; 

Wherefore I blush and weep, as at thy feet 
I kneel down reverently and repeat, 

“Master, behold my sheaves .”—Elizabeth Akers. 





30 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 43. 

H0»I0I»I10J»J0US W0RO8. 

Thy purpose firm is equal to the deed : 

Who does the best his circumstance allows, 

Does well, acts nobly; angels could do no more. — Young. 


caF-en-dar, n. An almanac. 
eM'-en-der, n. A hot press. 

€ail'*noil, n. A large gun. 
can'-on, n. A church law; a dignitary 
of the church. 

ean'-vas, n. A coarse cloth for sails, 
•ean'-vass, v. t. To solicit something. 

«ap'-i-tal, n. The chief city; principal. 
€ap'-i-tol, n. The building occupied 
by Congress or a State legislature. 
€nne, n. A walking stick. 

CaiU) n. The first murderer. 


§eil, V. t. To line the top or roof of 
seal, V. t. To make fast. 

5ell, n. A small room, as in a prison, 
sell, V. t. To exchange for money. 

^el'-lar, n. A room under the house, 
sell'-er, n. One who sells. 

ch^§e, V. /. To select, 
chews (chdhs), v. t. Bites and grinds 
with the teeth. 

clause, n. A part of a sentence, 
■elaws, pl- Sharp, hooked nails of 
animals or birds. 


LESSON 44. 

ARCHIXHCXXJRH. 

If cities were built by the .sound of music, then some edifices would appear to be constructed 
by grave, solemn tones, others to have danced forth to light, fantastic Bits.— Hawthorne. 


baF-as-trade, n. A row of balusters 
topped by a rail, serving as an en¬ 
closure. 

bat'-tle-ment, «. A notched or in¬ 
dented parapet. 

bay-wm'-dow, n. A window forming 
a bay or recess in the room and pro¬ 
jecting outward in different forms, 
boa'-doir (bdb'-dwor), n. A lady’s 
private room. 

•ean^'O-py, «. A covering over the head. 
^eiF-ing, n. The upper interior surface 
of an apartment. 

€lo§'-et, n. A small, close room. 
€dr'-ni§e, n. Any molded projection 
which finishes the part to which it 
is affixed. 

edr'-ri-dor, n. A gallery or passage¬ 
way. 


€a'-po la, n. A dome-like vault on the 
top of an edifice. 

dom'-i-§ile, «. An abode or permanent 
residence. 

dor'-mi-to-ry, n. Sleeping quarters or 
a bedroom. 

ex-te'-ri-or, n. The outside part 
ga'-ble, n. The vertical triangular end 
of a house. 

gaF-ler-y, n. A long and narrow cor¬ 
ridor. 

gotlF-i-C, a. A style of architecture 
' with high and sharply-pointed arches, 
etc. 

in-te'-ri-or, n. The inside part, 
kitch'-en, n. A cook room, 
laun'-dry, n. The place where clothes 
are washed. 

lav'-a-to-ry, n. A place for washing. 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


31 


LESSON 45. 

Arcliltecture. 

Houses are built to live in more than to look on ; therefore let use be preferred before uni¬ 
formity, except where both may be had.— Bacon. 


mor'-tise, n. A cavity cut into a piece 
of timber to receive the end of an¬ 
other piece cut to fit it. 
niche (iiich), n. A shell-like recess in 
a wall for a statue, bust, or other 
erect ornament. 

uurs'-er-y, n. A room in the house, 
appropriated to the care of children. 
{>b-§erv'-a-to-ry, n. A place from 
which a view may be commanded, 
o'-ri-el, n. A large bay or recessed 
window projecting outward, 
pa-la'-tial, a. Magnificent; like a 
palace. 

pan'-try, n. A room where provisions 
are kept. 

par-ti'-tiou, n. That which divides or 
separates; an interior wall dividing 
one part of a house from another, 
pa-vil'-ion, n. A kind of building or 
turret under a single roof. 


pi-az'-za, n. A portico or covered 
walk supported by arches or columns, 
pi-las'-ter, n. A square column,usually 
set in a wall, and projecting only a 
fourth or fifth of its diameter, 
por'-ti-eo, n. A covered space, enclosed 
by columns at the front of a building, 
ro-tuu'-da, n. A round building, 
s-eul'-ler-y, n. A place where culinary 
utensils are kept. 

stee'-ple, n. A tower or turret of a 
church, ending in a point, 
strii-e'-ture, n. A building of any kind, 
tah'-er-na-ele, n. A slightly built or 
temporary dwelling. * 
tur'-ret, n. A little tower, 
yes'-ti-biile, n. A small hall from 
which doors open into other apart¬ 
ments in the house, 
ve-ran'-da, n. A kind of open portico, 
formed by extending a sloping roof 
beyond the main dwelling. 


LESSON 46. 

OICTTAXIOI^f KXHRCISB. 

The Gothic cathedral is a blossoming in stone, subdued by the insatiable de^ 
mand of harmony, in man. The mountain of granite blooms into an eternal 
flower, with the lightness and delicate finish as well as the serial proportions and 
perspective of vegetable beauty. Moller, in his essay on Architecture, taught 
that the building which was fitted accurately to answer its end would turn out 
to be beautiful, though beauty had not been intended. I find the like unity in 
human structures rather virulent and pervasive. — Emerson, 


LESSON 47. 


MISCHlrlrAXEOUS. 

Like leaves on trees the race of man is found. 

Now green in youth, now withering on the ground ; 
Another race the following spring supplies ; 

They fall successive, and successive ri.se.— Homer's Iliad. 


deaf (def or def ), a. Unable to hear 
sounds. 

de bat'-a-ble, a. Disputable. 


de-bris' (da-bree'), n. Remains; ruins. 
de-C'-O-rate, v. t. To adorn; to beautify. 
de-«rease', v. t. To diminish gradually. 







32 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


de-gSn^-er-ate, v. i. To grow worse. 
de-note% v. t. To indicate, 
de-o'-dor-ize, v. t. To deprive of odor. 
de-§Ir'-a-bl6, Worthy of desire or 
longing. 

de-te'-ri-o-rate, v. t. To make worse, 
de'-vi-ate, v. i. To go out of one’s 
way; to digress, 
dif a. Not easy, 
di-lap'-i-date, v, t. To fall into partial 
ruin. 


dis-eoftr'-age, v. t. To dishearten; to 
disfavor. 

dis-fraii'-€hi§e, v. A To deprive of 
citizenship. 

dis-trib'-ute, v. t. To divide among 
several. 

du€'-at, n. A European coin, either 
silver or gold, 
ef-f a§e% v. t. To blot out. 
e'-gress, n. Departure, 
e-las-tig'-i-ty, n. Springiness; rebound. 


LESSON 48. 

DRUGS. 

Physic is of little use to a temperate person, for a man’s own observation on what he finds 
does him good and what hurts him is the best physic to preserve health.— Bacon. 


a§'-id, n. A sour substance, 
al'-ka-li, n. A substance which neu¬ 
tralizes acids. 

am-nio'-iii-a, n' An alkali which is 
gaseous or aeriform in its uncom¬ 
bined state. 

a-p6th'-e-ea-ry, n. One who prepares 
and sells drugs for medicinal purposes. 
ar'-ni-€a, n. A medicine applied ex¬ 
ternally, for sprains or bruises. 
Sr'-se-ni-e, n. An element like a metal 
of a steel grey color and brilliant 
lustre; a poison. 

baF'Sam, n. An aromatic substance 
flowing from trees. 

bel-la-ddn'-na, n. Deadly nightshade, 
bcu'-zine, n. A light oil of petroleum. 
€ar-o-mel, n, A preparation of mer¬ 
cury. 


•eam'-phor, n. A solid white gum or 
concrete juice. 

«a-thUr'-ti€, n. A purgative. 
«hlo'-ro-fdrm, n. A medical fluid 
which when inhaled produces insensi¬ 
bility to pain. 

«o-logiie' (ko-lon^, n. A perfumed 
liquid. 

€5p'-per-as, n Sulphate of iron, 
■ere'-o-sote, n. An oily, colorless liquid 
having the smell of smoke. 
dis-p§n'-sa-ry, n. The place where 
medicines are given to the poor, 
drug'-gist, n. One who deals in drugs. 
glj^§'-er-iiie, n. A sweet liquid, com¬ 
posed of carbon,hydrogen,and oxygen. 
ip'-e-«a€, n. An emetic. 


LESSON 49. 


Drnsrs. 

Oh 1 what avail the largest gifts of heaven. 

When drooping health and spirits go amiss? 
How tasteless then whatever can be given 1 
Health is the vital principle of bliss, 

And exercise of health.— Horace Mann, 


lau'-da-ndniy n. Tincture of opium. 

ll€'-0-ri5e, n. A dark-colored, sweet 
substance, much used as a remedy 
for coughs and colds. 


mag-ne'-§i-a (-ne'-zki-a), n. A white 
powdered earth, used as a mild ca¬ 
thartic. 

mer'-eu-ry, n, A salt used as a re¬ 
medial agent. 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


33 


mdr'-pliine, n. A vegetable alkaloid 
extracted from opium. 
par-e-gdr'-I-c, n. A medicine that 
‘ mitigates pain. 

pep'-per-mint, n. A liquor distilled 
from an aromatic and pungent plant. 
phar-ma-^eu'-ti«, a. Pertaining to 
knowledge of pharmacy, 
phar'-ma-^y, n. The art of compound¬ 
ing medicines. 

poF-gon, n. That which taints or de¬ 
stroys. 

qiiP-nine, n. Peruvian bark, 
reg'-in, n. A solid, inflammable gum 
of vegetable origin, soluble in alcohol 
and in es'^ential oils. 


saf'-fi'ou, n. A vegetable medicine. 

salt-pe'-tre or sqlt-pe'-ter, n. Nitrate 
of potassa. 

sar-sa-pa-ril'-la, «. A medicine dis¬ 
tilled from a Mexican plant. 
str^-elF-uIne, n. A powerful neurotic 
stimulant, bitter and poison. 
suF-pliiir, n. A simple mineral sub¬ 
stance, of a yellow color. 
siF-ma« or sq'-ma^h (shq'-mak), n. A 
plant or shrub used in medicine, 
tin-e'-tiire, n. Slight taste or quality 
added to anything. 

tnr'-pen-tiiie, «. A clear, colorless 
balsam taken from the pine, fir, 
larch and other trees. 


LESSON 50. 

rER-TTAIIVING TTO I»HYSIC. 

I think you might di.spense with half your doctors, if you would only consult Doctor Sun 
more, and be more under the treatment of these great hydropathic doctors, the clouds \ — Beecher. 


al-15p'-a-thy, n. Using medicines to 
produce effects different from thos^ 
resulting from disease, 
am-pu-ta'-tion, n. Cutting off a mem¬ 
ber of the body. 

«an'-ter-ize, v. t. To bum or sear with 
fire or a hot iron. 

§har'-la-taii, n. A quack. 
€lii-r5p'-0-dist, n. A com doctor; one 
who extracts corns, warts, etc. 
di-ag-no'-sis, n. The determination of 
a disease by means of distinctive 
marks. 

e«-le-e'-tic, n. Not following any one 
method or school, but selecting at 
will from others. ^ 

ho-me 6p'-a-tliy, n. Art of curing 
based on similarity of symptoms, 
h5sLpi-tal, n. An institution for car¬ 
ing for the sick and infirm. 
kf-drdp'-*-thy, n. The water-cure. 


iiifirm'-a-ry, n. A public institution 
for the care of the poor; a hospital, 
me-di^'-i-nal, a. Pertaining to medi¬ 
cine. 

iiar-«6t'-i«, n. A medicine which pro¬ 
duces sleep. 

d'-pi-ate, a. Inducing sleep. 
6p-tl^-cian (-tislF-an), n. One skilled 
in the science of vision. 
plif-gP-cian (fi-zisli'-au), n. One 
skilled in the art of healing. 
spe-§if'-i-e, a. Exerting a peculiar in¬ 
fluence over any part of the body, 
stim'-ii-laiit, n. A medicine to produce 
an exaltation of vital activity. 
va«'-§i-nate, v. t. To inoculate with 
kine pox by means of a vims called 
vaccine, taken from a cow. 
vet'-er-i-na-ry, a. Pertaining to the 
art of healing domestic animals. 





84 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 51. 

HOMOraONOUS WORDS. 

What shall I do ? My boy, don’t stand asking ; 

Take hold of something —whatever you can, 
Don’t turn aside for the toiling or tasking ; 

Idle soft hands never yet made a man.’ 


n. A coin. 

s^^ent, n. Odor; the sense of smell, 
seut, V. i. Past of send; dispatched. 

jite, V. t. To summon; to quote, 
site, n. Local position; situation, 
sight, n. The power of seeing. 

•elimb, v. t. To rise laboriously. 
€lime, n. A climate. 

€oarse, a. Rude; composed of large 
parts. 

€oarse, n. Direction. 


€ore, n. The center of a fruit. 

•corps (kor), A body of men. 

■eouiP-§n, n. A deliberative body, 
-eoun'-sel, «. Advice; a legal adviser. 

•eur'-rant, n. A small fruit. 

■eur'-rent, n. A stream; onward motion. 

dear, a. Beloved; costly, 
deer, n. An animal. 

draught (draft), n. A current; that 
which is drunk, 
draft, n. A bill of exchange. 


LESSON 52. 

DISHASKS. 

He who cures a disease may be the skillfullest, but he who prevents it is the safest physician. 
— T. Fuller. 


ab'-s§ess, n. A tumor filled with pur¬ 
ulent matter. 

bron-ehr-tis, n. Inflammation of the 
bronchial membrane, 
ca-tarrh', n. A disease of the head, 
caused by a cold. 

choF-e-ra, n. A disease affecting the 
digestive and intestinal tract, 
diph-the'-ri-a, n. A disease in which 
the throat is inflamed, and coated. 
di§-ea§e', n. Malady or sickness.’ 
diz'-zi-iiess, n. A whirling in the head, 
dj^s-pep'-si-a, n. Difficulty of digestion, 
ep'-i-lep-sy, n. Disease of the brain 
attended by convulsions, 
er-y-sip'-e-las, n. A disease in which 
the skin is inflamed, 
gan'-grene (gan^-), n. Mortification 
of living flesho 


hic'-eough (liik'-kup), n. Spasmodic 
inspiration producing sound. 
mea'-§le§, n. An eruptive disease, 
neu-ral'-gi-d, n. A disease, the chief 
symptom of which is a very acute 
pain, seated in the nerve. 
pa-raF-y-sis, n. Loss of the power 
of voluntary motion, 
pleu'-ri-sy, n. Inflammation of the 
pleura or the membrane that lines 
the chest. 

pueu-mo'-iu-a (nu-mo'-), n. Inflamma¬ 
tion of the lungs. 

rheu'-ma-tigm (rp-), n. Painful 
disease of joints and muscles, 
s-erdf'-u-la, n. A disease of the glands, 
ty'-phaid, n. Typhus fever of a low 
gradeo 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


36 


LESSON 53. 

MCXAXION E^XKRCISB. 

My jolly young fellow,” said Health, ” now you really 
Have lately been drawing on me rather freely. 

Who riots with Pleasure by night and by day 
Must expect that in time there’ll be something to pay. 

For the favors you’ve had, that you may not forget, 

Suppose you just give me your note for the debt. 

Write as I dictate: 

” ‘ Twenty years after date 
I promise to pay to. my health, sure as fate. 

For value received, in sin, folly and pleasure. 

These prominent parts of estates I should treasure: 

My Limbs to be racked with rheumatics and gout; 

My Teeth to decay till they mostly rot out; 

My Eyes to grow dim and my Hair to grow gray. 

While dropsy and asthma take turns day by day; 

My Nerves and my Lungs, too, together give way; 

My Stomach to fall to dyspepsia a prey; 

My Taste to forsake me, my Voice to grow weak. 

While my Ears cannot hear, save when Conscience shall ^eak.’ 
Now sign it. When due you need not waste your breath 
For extension. Remember, the protest is Death.” 


LESSON 54. 

PKRXAIXIXO TTO RISBASB. 

Diseases, desperate grown, by desperate appliances are relieved, or not at all.— Shakespeare. 


a-ehe, v. i. To suffer pain. 
a-eute% a. Sharp; penetrating. 
•e6m'-fort-a-lt)le, a. Free from pain. 
€6n-ta'-gions, a. Catching. 
€6n-va-les'-^en(je, n. Renewal of 
health. 

dis'-lo-eate, v. t. To disjoint, 
e-ma'-ci-ate (-slii-at), v. i. To lose 
flesh. 

ep-i-dem'-i-e, n. A disease which, aris¬ 
ing from a widespread cause, affects 
numbers of people at the same time, 
f u'-mi-gate, v. t. To apply smoke in 
cleansing infected apartments, 
ha^-gard, a. Having the expression 
of one wasted by want or pain. 
ke-red'-i-ta*ry, a. Transmitted from 
parent to child. 


im'-be-gile, n. One without strength 
either in body or mind. 

lu'-na-ti«, n. A person of unsound 
mind. 

mal'-a-dy, n. Sickness or disease of 
the human body. 

ma-lig'-nant, a. Tending to produce 
death. 

mon-o-ma'-m-a-e, n. One whose mind 
is deranged on a single subject. 

par'-ox-y§m, n. The attack of a dis¬ 
ease that occurs at intervals. 

re-sus'-^i-tate, v. t. To revive from 
apparent death. 

stran-gu-la'-tion, n. The act of de¬ 
stroying life by stopping respiration. 

wound (wd?>nd or wownd), n. A hurt j 
an injury. 




36 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 55. 

I»KI«.XAII^ING XO XHB HUHIAIS BODY. 

Our body is a well-set clock, which keeps good time ; but if it be too much or indiscreetly tam¬ 
pered with, the alarm runs out before the hour.— Bishop Hall. 


an'-kle, n. The joint which connects 
the foot with the leg. 
ar^-ter-y, n. A vessel that conveys the 
blood from the heart, 
au'-di-to-ry, a. Pertaining to the sense 
of hearing. 

br6n'-«hi-a, n. pi. The two large di¬ 
visions of the trachea. 
€al-is-tlien'-i€s, n. Bodily exercise 
for strength and graceful movement. 
•eapMl-la-rleg, n. pi. Small vessels 
which connect the arteries with the 
veins. 

€ari-tMage, n. Gristle. 

■elay'-i-ele, n. The collar bone. 
€6r'-ne-a, n. The strong membrane 
which forms the front part of the eye. 
€ra'-m-iim, n. The bones which en¬ 
close the brain; the skull. 


€u'-ti-ele, n. The outer skin of the 
body. 

dP-a-pliragm (-fram), n. The muscle 
separating the chest from the abdo¬ 
men. 

en-am'-el, n. The hard substance cov¬ 
ering the crown of the tooth, 
eye, n. The organ of vision, 
f a'-cial (f a'-shal), a. Pertaining to the 
face. 

giist'-a-to-ry, a. Pertaining to tasting, 
iii-spi-ra'-tion, n. The act of breath¬ 
ing air into the lungs. 
knu-ek'Te, n. The joint of a finger, 
lar'-ynx, n. The upper part of the 
wind pipe, constituting the organ of 
voice. 

lig'-a-ment, n. A white, inelastic sub¬ 
stance serving to bind one bone to 
another. 


LESSON 56. 

Pertaliiins; to the Human Body. 

God made the human body, and it is by far the most exquisite and wonderful organization 
which has come to us from the Divine hand. It is a study for one’s whole life.— Beecher. 


me-dul'-la db-lon-ga'-ta, n. The up¬ 
per portion of the spinal cord, within 
the skull. 

mem'-brane, n. A. thin layer of tissue 
serving to cover some part of the body, 
mus'-^les, n. pi. Organs of motion, 
mfis-td^he' (mus-tash'), n. The part 
of the beard which grows on the up¬ 
per lip. 

51-f a-e'-to-ry, a. Causing to smell. 
pa-tcP-l&, n. The knee pan. 
phy-gl(|ue' (f e-gekO» Physical struc- 

tai9 of a person, 


pleii'-ra, n. The membrane that lines 
the chest. 

pur-mo-na-ry, a. Pertaining to the 
lungs. 

pul-sa'-tion, n. A beat or throb, 
ret'-i-na, n. The membranous expan¬ 
sion of the optic nerve in the interior 
of the eye ball, which receives the 
impressions resulting in the sense of 
vision. 

sa-U'-va, n. Spittle, 
shoul'-der, n. The upper part of the 
back. 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


87 


st6m'-a-ch, n. The organ in which the 
food is digested. 

tSm'-per-a-ment, n. Physical and 
mental character of a person, 
tdngne (tang), n. Organ of speech 
and taste. 

tym'-pa-num, n. The drum of the ear. 


Yer'-te-bra {pi. ver'-te-brae), n. A 
joint or segment of the back bone. 

Yi'-gion, n. Actual sight, 
wrist, n. The joint which unites the 
hand to the arm, consisting of eight 
small bones. 


LESSON 57. 

Procrastination is the thief of time ; 

Year after year it steals till all are fled, 

And, to the mercies of a moment leaves 
' The vast concerns of an eternal scheme.— Young. 


el-e-men'-ta-ry, a. Simple; consist¬ 
ing of a single element. 
em-beF-lish,?/./. To adorn; to beautify, 
en'-er-gy, n. Life; capacity for acting, 
e-iiu' mer-ate, v. t. To number. 
en-vF-ron-ment, n. That which sur¬ 
rounds. 

e'-qua-ble, a. Equal and uniform. 
e-rad'-i-€ate, v. t. To root out. 
es-chew', v. t. To shun; to avoid, 
es-pe'-cial (-peslF-al), a. Particular; 
chief. 

es-sen'-tial, a. Indispensable; impor¬ 
tant. 


e-ter'-iial, a. Everlasting, 
e-va-e'-ii-ate, V. t. To make empty, 
e-vap'-o-rate, v. i. To pass off in vapor. 
Sx-hib'-it, V. t. To present for inspec¬ 
tion. 

ex-hil'-a-rate, V. t. To make glad or 
joyous; to enliven, 
es-ist'-en^e, n. The state of being. 
Sx-panse% n. A wide extent of space, 
ex-pe'-di-ent, a. Desirable; advisable, 
ex-ten'-u-ate, v. t. To draw out. 
ex'-tri-eate, v. t. To disentangle. 


LESSON 58. 


WORDS USED IPJ EAW. 

Never a law was born that did not fly 
Forth from the bosom of Omnipotence, 

Matched, wing-and-wing with evil and with good. 
Avenger and rewarder — both of God.— Holland. 


ab-S-ednd', v. i. To retire from public 
view to avoid a legal process. 
ab-solve% v. t. To pardon; to free 
from. 

a-e-^es'-so-ry, n. One who aids crime, 
though not present at the perpetration. 
a€-ciise% v. t. To charge with; to 
blame. 

a^-kndwF-edge, v. t. To admit; to 
confess. 


a€-quit'-tal, n. Formal release from 
a charge. 

a-e'-tion, n. Suit at law; an act or 
thing done. 

ad^e-quate, a. Equal, 
ad-jure', v. t. To charge on oath. 

ad-min-is-tra'-tor, n. A man \yho 
manages an intestate estate, 
ad-vige', v. t. To give advice. 







S8 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


ad'-vo-eate, n. One who pleads for 
another. 

af-fl-da'-vit, n. A written declaration 
upon oath. 

af-fIrm', v. t. To declare positively. 

ag-gres'-sive, a. Making the first at¬ 
tack. ' 

a-gree'-ment, n. A bargain, compact 
or contract. 


al'-i-bi, n. A plea of having been else¬ 
where at the time an offense is al¬ 
leged to have been committed. 

al'-ieu (al'-yen), n, A foreigner, 
al'-i-mo-njf, n. A separate mainte¬ 
nance. 

/ 

al-lege% v, /. To assert; to affirm. 


LESSON 59. 

Words used in lUaw. 

Plate sin Mnihgold, and the strong lance of Justice, hurtless, breaks; clothe it in rags, a pig¬ 
my’s straw doth pierce it.—Shakespeare. 


a-me'-na-ble, a. Responsible, 
am'-nes-ty, «. An act of general par¬ 
don. 

an-nu'-i-ty, n. An annual allowance, 
an-nul', v. t. To obliterate, 
an'-swer (an'-ser), v. t. To respond to. 
ap-pear, v. t. To make application for 
the removal of a cause to a higher court. 
ap-prai§'-al, n. A valuation by au¬ 
thority. 

ar'-bi-tra-ry, a. Despotic: absolute 
in power. 

ar-raign', v. t. To accuse, 
at-tes-ta'-tion, «. Official testimony, 
at-tdr'-ney, n. One who is legally ap¬ 
pointed by another to transact busi¬ 
ness for him. 


au-thor'-i-ty, n. Legal power; war¬ 
rant; rule. 

bail'-a-ble, a. Capable of being set 
free after arrest. 

be-quSst', n. Something left by will. 

•eat'-e-€hi§e, v. t. To question or ex¬ 
amine. 

^er-tif'-i-eate, n, A testimony in 
writing. 

-claim'-ant, n. One who demands some¬ 
thing as his right. 

■elem'-en-§y, n. Disposition to treat 
with favor and kindness. 

■eli'-eut, n. One who applies to a law¬ 
yer for advice on a question of law. 

€ode, n. A system of laws. 


LESSON 60. 

Words used In 


“ I<et us consider the reason of the case 

€5d'-i-Qil, n. Supplement to a will. 

€5ii-ddmn', v. t. To pronounce to be 
wrong; to doom. 

•cor-rdb'-o-rate, v, t. To confirm. 

€rdss'-quds-tion, v. /. To cross-exam¬ 
ine. 

de-fdnd'-ant, «. One who opposes a 
oomplAint 


for nothing is law that is not reason.” 
de-po'-nent, n. One who gives written 
testimony to be used in court, 
dd-e'-u-ment, n. A writing furnishing 
proof of evidence. 

eq'-ui-ta-bly (ek'-wi-)» adv. Justly; 
impartially. 

dx-e«'-u-tor, n. One who performs. 
d 5 -e«'-a-tive, a. Concerned with car¬ 
rying into effect 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


39 


Ss-S-C'-u-trix, n. A female executor, 
ex'-pl-ate, v. i. To atone for. 
f i'-at, n. A decree. 
gaP’ldws, n. A frame for the execu¬ 
tion of criminals. 

guardM-an, n. One in charge of prop 
erty or person of a minor. 


guilt'-y, a. Wicked; evincing guilt. 
li§i'-nous, a. Enormous; odious, 
her'-it-age, n. Inheritance. 

ig-iio-min'-i-ous, a. Shameful; dis¬ 
honorable. 

U-le'-gal, a. Unlawful. 


LESSON 6!. 

Words used in I^aw. 

I.aw and equity are two things which God hath joined, but which man hath put asunder.—G?.Vo«. 


im'-pli-eate, v. t. To bring into con¬ 
nection with. 

in-her'-it, v. t. To receive by birth, 
in-iq'-ni-ty (iu-ik'-wi-tj^), n. A sin or 
Clime. 

in-jus'-ti^e, n. Violation of the rights 
of a person. 

m-tes'-tate, a. Without a will. 
in-Tal'-id, a Of no force, 
in-ves'-ti-gate, v. L To inquire into, 
judg^-menf^ n. Decision of a court. 
ju-dP-cial (-dish'-al), a. Ordered by 
a court. 

ju-ris-di-e'-tion, n. The limit within 
which power may be exercised. 


jus'-ti^e, «. Merited reward or pun¬ 
ishment. 

Iqw'-yer, n. A practitioner of law. 
leg'-a-^y, «. A bequest, 
le'-gal-ly, adv. According to law. 
leg-a-tee', n. One to whom a legacy is 
bequeathed. “ 

le-git'-i-mate, a. In accordance with 
law. 

le'-ni-ent, a. Merciful; acting with¬ 
out severity. 

rp-a-ble, a. Responsible, 
li'-bel, V. t. To defame, 
li'-^euse, n. A written document by 
which permission is granted. 


LESSON 62. 

Words used iii 

They are the best laws, by which the king hath the greatest prerogative, and the people the 
best liberty.— Bacon. 


li'-en, n. A legal claim, 
lit'-i-gate, V. t. To contest in law. 
mag'-as-trate, n. A public civil officer, 
mort'-gage (mor'-gej), n. A convey¬ 
ance of property for security, 
mort-ga-gee' (mor-), n. One to whom 
a mortgage is given, 
mort'-ga-gor (mor-), n. The one who 
conveys property as security for the 
payment of debt. 

no'-ta-ry, n. A public officer who cer¬ 
tifies deeds and other writings 


nuF-li-fy, v. t. To make void; to de¬ 
prive of legal force, 
peu'-al-ty, n. Punishment for crime 
or offense. 

pen-i-ten'-tia-ry (-slia-r j^), n. A house 
of correction where offenders are 
confined for punishment, and made 
to labor. 

per'-ju-ry, n. False swearing. 
peP-it (peP-^), Small; little, 
plain'-tiff, «. The person who com¬ 
mences a sniL 






40 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


plea, n. That which is alleged by a 
party in support of his cause, 
pro'-bate, n. Official proof, 
rat'-a-ble, a. Liable by law to taxa¬ 
tion. 

re-lease\ v. /. To give liberty to. 


ret-ri-bu'-tion, n. Reward and pun¬ 
ishment. 

S-eaf'-fold, n. An elevated platform 
for the execution of a criminal, 
sig'-na-ture, n. One’s name written 
by his own hand. 


LESSON 63. 

Words used iu 

The greatest attribute of Heaven is mercy ; 

And ’tis the crown of justice, and the glory, 

Where it may kill with right, to save with pity.- Beaumont and Fleicher. 


sher'-ifif, n. The officer of the county, 
who executes the laws, 
so-lij'-it-or, n. An attorney or advo¬ 
cate. 

sub-poe'-nd (-pe-), n. A writ com¬ 
manding the attendance in court of 
the person on whom it is served, as a 
witness. 

sue, V. t. To seek justice by legal 
process. 

te«li-ni-«ar-i-ty, n. That which is 
peculiar to any profession or trade, 
tes'-ta-ment, n. A will, 
tes'-ti-mo-ny, n. Proof of some fact, 
tres'-pass, v. i. To enter unlawfully 
upon the land of another. 

tri-bu^-nal, n. A court of justice. 


vaF-id, a. Having legal strength or 
force. 

Yen'-lie, n. A neighborhood or near 

place. 

Ter'-dlet, n. Decision, judgment. 

ySr'-i-fy, v. t. To prove to be true. 

ve'-to, n. An authoritative prohibition. 

vin'-di-eate, v. t. To defend with suc¬ 
cess. 

void, a. Of no legal effect whatsoever. 

vouch, 2 ^. t. To make good a warranty 
of title. 

voucli-ee’, n. The one who is called 
into court to make good his warranty 
of title. 

voiicli'-er, n. One who vouches to 
anything. 

wrong, n. That which is not right. 


LESSON 64. 

niCTAXlOJi KXKRCISH. 

The quality of mercy is not strain'd. 

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven 
Upon the place beneath: it is twice bless’d; 

It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes- 
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes 
The throned monarch better than his crown: 

It is enthroned in the hearts of kings, 

But mercy is above this sceptred sway; 

It is an attribute to God himself. 

And earthly power doth then show likest God’s, 
When mercy seasons Shakespeare. 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


41 


LESSON 65. 

CRIIUKS AIND CRI9IIKAI.3. 

Oh how many deeds of deathless virtue and immortal crime, 
The world had wanted, had the actor said, 

T will do this tomorrow.’ ” 


ab-dfi«t% V. t. To take away surrep 
titiously. 

as-sas'-sin, «. One who tries to kill 
by secret assault. 

bftr^-lar, n. One who breaks into a 
house to steal. 

■e5n-spir'-a-^y, n. A combination of 
men for an evil purpose. 

•crim'-i-nal, n. One guilty of crime. 

f eP-on, n. A person guilty or capable 
of crime. 

frat'-ri-^ide, «. One who kills a 
brother. 

h5m'-i-<jide, n. A person who kills 
another. 


im-p5s'-tor, n. A pretender. 
In-jSn'-di-a-ry, n. One who secretly 
sets fire to a building, 
lar'-^e-ny, «. Theft. 
r6b'-ber-y, n. Plunder; theft, 
rogue, n. A cheat. 

a 

ruf'-flan (-yan), n. A brutal fellow, 
smug'-gler, n. One who exports or im« 
ports secretly without paying duty, 
stl^-ma, n. Any mark of infamy, 
su'-i-^ide, n. Self-murder, 
tliiev'-er-y, «. Theft, 
va'-graii-^y, n. Wandering without a 
settled home. 

vil'-lain, n. A wicked, vile person. 


LESSON 66. 

HOMOPHO^OUS WORDS. 

One crowded hour of a glorious life 

Is worth a world without a name.— Walter Scott. 


dew (du), n. Moisture in the atmos¬ 
phere condensed, 
due, Owed, as a debt. 

d6ne, P> Completed, 
diin, V. t. To urge payment; (a.) a. 
brown color. 

die, V. z. To cease to live, 
dye, t. To color. 

dii'-al, a. Consisting of two. 
du'-el, A combat between two. 

dy'-iug, V. Ceasing to live; fading 
from view. 

dye'-ing, v. Coloring. 


earn, v. t. To gain by labor, 
brn, n. A vessel for earth or ashes- 

ewe (yu), A female sheep, 
yew, n. A kind of tree. 

fair, a. Just; beautiful, 
fare, n. Food; the sum paid for con¬ 
veying a person from one place to 
another. 

fate, n. Doom, 
f §te, n. A feast, 
flea, n. A small insect, 
flee, V. t. To run away. 





43 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 67. 

GOVBR.lSMKN'r. 

For forms of government let fools contest; 
Whate’er is best administered is best: 

For modes of faith let graceles* zealots fight; 

His can’t be wrong whose life is in the right.—Pc/tf. 


ab'-so-lute, a. Without limit. 

al-le'-giange, «. The duty of fidelity 
to a king, government, or state. 

am-bas'-sa-dor, n. The representative 
of one sovereign at the court of 
another. 

an'-ar-ch-y, n. Want of government. 

■Cdn'-gress, n. The Legislature of the 
United States. 

€Oii-stI-tu'-tioii-al, a. Regulated by 
the constitution. 

€on'-sul, n. An official commissioned 
to reside in a foreign country as an 
agent or representative. 

Czar, n. Title of the emperor of Rus¬ 
sia. 

gdv'-ern-ment, n. Exercise of author¬ 
ity; restraint, 

gov'-erii-or, n. One who is invested 
with supreme authority in a state. 


leg'-is-la-tiire, n. The law-making 
body of a state. 

mo-nar'-ehic-al, a. Vested in a single 
ruler. 

na'-tion-al, a. Common to a whole 
people or race. 

par'-lia-ment, n. The supreme coun¬ 
cil. 

pve§'-i-den-^y, n. Office of president, 
quo'-rum, n. The number of members 
of any body competent by law to 
transact business. 

re-pub'-li-e, n. A country governed 
by men chosen by the people. 
rep-re-gSnt'-a-tive, n. A member of 
the lower house in a State Legisla¬ 
ture or in the National Congress, 
seu'-a-tor, n. A member of a senate, 
sdv'-er-eign, n. Supreme in power. 


LESSON 68. 

DIC^AXIOPJ HXHRCISH. 

We, the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, 
establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defence, 
promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and 
posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States 
of America. 

This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in 
pursuance thereof, and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the 
authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land, and the 
Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or 
laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.— From Constitution United 
States. 




SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


4S 


LESSON 69. 

PHRXAIKII^G XO AUXHORIXY. 

Obedience is nobler than freedom. What’s free ? 

The vex’d straw on the wind, the frothed spume on the sea ? 
The great ocean itself, as it rolls and it swells, 

In the bonds of a boundless obedience dwells.— Owen Meredith. 


&-e-qui-esQe% v. i. To comply; to agree 
to. 

au-then'-ti-eate, v. t. To establish 
by proof. 

ban'-ish, v. t. To drive away. 

be-seech% v. t. To entreat; to implore. 
€arte blanche'(kart bliiiishO, n. Un¬ 
limited authority. 

€5m-pel% V. t. To urge by force; to 
oblige. 

cSm-pli'-ange, n. A disposition to 
yield to others. 

€5n-^es'-sion, n. The act of yielding. 

€5il-form', V. i. To obey; to yield to. 

■edn-jureS V, t. To implore earnestly. 


€5n-tr5F, v. t. To govern. 
€ri-te'-rI-oii, n. A standard of judging 
de-Qp-gion, n. Unwavering firmness. 
di'€-ta'-tor, n. One invested with ab¬ 
solute authority. 

d5m-i-neer% v. i. To rule with inso¬ 
lence ; to be overbearing, 
en-for^e', v. t. To compel, 
ex-on'-er-ate, v. t. To clear of an ac¬ 
cusation. 

fdr-bade', V. t. Prohibited, 
im-per'-a-tive, a. Commanding. 
Im-por-tune', v. t. To request with 
urgency. 


LESSON 70. 

Pertalnlnsr to Autliorlty. 


Man, proud man, dressed i 
Plays such fantastic tricks 
As make the angels weep.- 

in-duF-^en^e, n. A favor granted. 
iii'-flu-en<je, n. Controlling power 
quietly exerted. , 
lun'-it-a-ble, a. Restrained, 
man'-date, n. An official command, 
uo'-tl-^, V. t. To give notice to. 
0-bey', V. t. To be ruled by. 
5p-pres'-sion, n. The state of being 
oppressed; severity, 
par'-don-a-ble, a. Admitting of excuse, 
per'-emp-to-ry, a. Absolute; positive; 
decisive. 

per-mis'-si-ble, a. Allowable, 
per-suade'(-swad), V. t. To influence 
by argument. 


in a little brief authority, 
before high heaven, 

— Shakespeare. 

pre'-^ept, n. A rule of .conduct; an 
injunction. 

pro-hIbMt, V. t. To forbid. 

re-fu§'-al, n. Denial of anything de¬ 
manded or offered for acceptance. 

re-mis'-si-ble, a. Capable of being re¬ 
mitted or forgiven. 

rep'-ri-mand, n. Severe reproof for a 
fault. 

re-§ign% v.t. To withdraw from office. 

re-straint% n. That which hinders 
any action, physical, moral or mental; 
restriction. 

rIg'-or-OUS, a. Exact; severe. 

san-e'-tion, v. t. To give validity or 
authority to. 





44 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 71. 


Pertaliilnsf to Authority. 


All government, all exercise of power, no matter in what form, which is not based in love and 
directed by knowledge, is a tyranny.— Mrs. Jameson. 


serv'-ant, n. One who labors for his 
master or employer, 
serv'-ige, n. Labor performed for an¬ 
other. 

se-vere% a. Very strict, 
se-yer'-i-ty, • n. Extreme strictness; 
harshness. 

slav'-er-y, n. Bondage, 
stern'-ness, n. Severity. 
stri€t'-ness, n. Exactness in the ob¬ 
servance of rules. 

strin'-^ent, a. Making severe require¬ 
ments. 

sub-je-e'-tion, n. Bringing under the 
dominion of another. 


sub-mis'-siou, n. 

ence. 

sub-or'-di-nate, a. 

position. 

sup'-pli-«ate, v. i. 
su-prem'-a-^y, n. 
sur-yeil'-lange, n. 


Meekness; obedi- 

Holding a lower 

To implore. 
Higher authority. 
Inspection; watch. 


te-iia§'-i-ty, n. Firmness, 
thwart, u. t. To frustrate or defeat, 
ty-ran'-ill-e-al, a. Severe in govern¬ 
ment. 

um'-pire, n. One who decides a con¬ 
troversy. 

uii-^er'-tain-ty, n. Doubtfulness, 
yield, v. i. To give up the contest; 
to submit. 


LESSON 72. 

WORDS USED IN POEIXICS. 

If you can climb to the top without falling. 

Do it. If not, go as high as you can. 

Man is not honored by business or calling ; 
Business and calling are honored by man.” 


ap-point-ee', n. A person appointed, 
bal'-lot, n. A printed ticket used in 
voting; voting by ticket or ball. 
€am-paign% n. The time an army 
keeps the field. 

■eau'-di-date, n. One who seeks an 
office or is proposed for the same, 
del'-e-gate, n. A representative, 
dem'-a-gdgue, n. An artful political 
orator. 

e-le-c-tion-eer', v. /. To use arts to 
secure an election. 

el'-i-gi-ble, a. Proper to be chosen, 
f ed'-er-al, a- Pertaining to a league 

or contract between nations, 
league, n. A union of persons, 
ma-jdr'-i-ty, More than half. 


mi-ii5r'-i-ty, n. The smaller number. 
ii6m-i-na'-tion, n. The power of nam¬ 
ing for an office. 

ii5iii-i-nee', n. One‘who has been 
named for an office, 
df-fi'-cial ( fislF-al), a. Pertaining to 
an office or public trust, 
plu-ral'-i-ty, n. A greater number; 
the excess of votes cast for one indi¬ 
vidual over those cast for any other 
one of several competing candidates. 
po-lit'-i€-al, a. Relating to state affairs. 
p61-i-tF-ciaii (-tish'-an),?/. One versed 
in the science of government, 
pre'-^in-ct, n. A district within cer¬ 
tain boundaries. 

u-uan'-i-mous, a. Of one mind. 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


46 


LESSON .73. 

Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever ; 

Do noble things, not dream them, all day long ; 
And so make life, death, and that vast forever 
One grand, sweet soa%.—Charles Kingsley. 


fab'-n-lofls, a. Not real; fictitious, 
f aP-li-ble, a. Liable to fail or mistake, 
fas'-ten (fas'-n), v. t. To fix firmly, 
f ea'-§i-l)le, a. Capable of being done, 
f er-ment', v. t. To set in motion. 

(-tish'-us), a. Not genu¬ 
ine; false. 

fil'-ial (fil'-yal), a. Bearing the rela¬ 
tion of a child to parents, 
fi'-nite, a. Having a limit, 
flex'-i-ble, a. Yielding to pressure; 
pliable. 

flim'-gy, a. Without strength; of loose 
structure. 


foment', V. t. To apply warm lotions 
to. 

for'-tu-nate, a. Lucky, 
fos'-sil, n. Remains of a plant or ani 
mal found in stratified rock, 
frag'-ile, a. Easily broken, 
frag'ment, n. A small portion. 
her-mgt'-i€-al-ly, adv. By melting, 
liid'-e-ous, a. Dreadful to behold. 
Ii6r'-ri-ble, a. Terrible, 
liy-me-ne'-al, a. Pertaining to mar¬ 
riage. 

hy'-phen, n. A mark for joining two 
syllables. 


LESSON 74. 

TO SCHOOI^S. 

I call a complete and generous education, that which fits a man to perform justly, skillfully 
and magnanimously, all of the offices, both private and public, of peace and war.— Milton. 


ab'-senge, n. State of being absent. 
a-€ad'-e-my, n. A school of arts and 
sciences; or one holding a place be¬ 
tween common schools and colleges. 
Al'-ma Ma'-ter, n. College or seminary 
where one is educated. 
ba«-«a-lau'-re-ate, n. Bachelor of 
arts. 

€at'-a-15gue, n. Register of names, 
-elas'-si-e-al, a. Of the first rank, es¬ 
pecially in literature or art. 

«6r-lege, n. A school for study and 
instruction in higher branches, 
•edm-menge'-ment, n. The day when 
degrees are conferred by colleges 
upon students. 

€ur-ric'-u-lum, n. A course of study. 


de-lin'-quent, a. Failing in duty, 
de-part'-iiient, n. One of the divisions 
of instruction. 

dis-^i-plin-a'-ri-aii, n. One who en¬ 
forces rigid discipline. 
ed'-u-«a-tor, n. One who educates. 
en-rolF, v. t. To record, 
ex-am'-iiie, v. t. To inquire into; to 
scrutinize. 

ex'-er-^i§e, v. i. To set in action; to 
develop. 

fa-e'-iil-ty, n. A body of teachers or 
professors in college, 
grad'-u-ate, v. t. To mark with degrees, 
in'-sti-tute, n. Institution of learning, 
in-stru-e'-tion, n. The act of furnish¬ 
ing with knowledge. 





BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 75. 

Pertaining: to Sclioolv%. 

Mercy is the fruit of knowledge, cruelty, of ignorance.— Chas. Reade. 


in-ter-mis'-sion, n. A temporary pause, 
kiiowl'-edge, n. Information, 
ly-^e'-iim, n. An association for liter¬ 
ary improvement. 

par-eh'-ment, n. The skin of a sheep 
or goat prepared for writing on. 
ped'-a-gogue, «. A school master. 
re§-i-ta'-tion, n. The rehearsal of a 
lesson by pupils before their teacher, 
reg'-is-ter, n. A roll; an official enu¬ 
meration. 

reg-u-lar'-i-ty, n. Conformity to rule, 
re-view' (-vn), n. A looking over. 
sehSl'-ar-ship, n. Learning. 
SQi-en-tif'-i-e, a. Used in science, 
sem'-i-iia-ry, ft. A school, academy, 
college or university. 


seii'-ior (seen'-yur), n. One in the 
fourth year of his collegiate course, 
or third year at a professional school. 
s6pli'-o-more, n. One belonging to the 
second of the four classes in college, 
stu'-di-ous, a. Given to study, 
stu-pid'-i-ty, ft. Extreme dullness of 
understanding. 

su-per-m-tend'-ent, n. One who over¬ 
sees anything, with power of direction, 
teach'-a-ble, a. Apt to learn, 
tu-i'-tion, n. Money paid for instruc¬ 
tion. 

vM-e-dic'-to-ry, n. A farewell address 
spoken at commencement of a college, 
by one of the class who receives the 
degree of bachelor of arts. 


LESSON 76. 

DIC'TAXlOI'f KXElt.CISB. 

Knowledge and wisdom, far from being one. 

Have oft times no connection. Knowledge dwells 
In heads replete with thoughts of other men; 

Wisdom in minds attentive to their own. 

Knowledge — a rude, unprofitable mass, 

The mere materials with which Wisdom builds. 

Till smoothed, and squared, and fitted to its place — 
Does but encumber whom it seems to enrich. 
Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much; 
Wisdom is humble that he knows no more.— Cow per. 


LESSON 77. 

ORAXORV. 

He is the eloquent man who can treat subjects of an humble nature with delicacy, lofty things 


impressively, and moderate things temperately. 

ad-dr6ss', n. A formal discourse either 
written or verbal. 

ar-ti-e'-u-late, a. Distinctly uttered, 
•ea'-dln^e, n. Regular fall or modula¬ 
tion of sound. 

di'-a-lS-et, Form of speech. 


Cicero. 

e-ja-e'-u-late, v. t. To utter by sud¬ 
den impulse. 

el-o-eu'-tion, n. The power of ex¬ 
pression by words. 

el'-o-quent, a. Speaking with fluency 
and elegance. 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


«r 


Sm'-pha-sis, n. Force impressed by 
pronunciation. 

ex-tem>po-ra'-ne-ous, a. Without pre¬ 
vious study; off-hand. 

flu'-ent, a. Gliding; easily moving, 
ges-ti-e'-u-late, v. i. To make motions; 
to act. 

-tur-al, a. Formed in the throat. 
ha-rangue% n. A noisy or pompous 
speech. 


Im-prdmp'-tii, adv. Without previous 
study. 

le-e'-ture, n. A discourse on any sub¬ 
ject. 

na'-gal, a. Spoken through the nose, 
o-ra'-tion, n. An elaborate discourse, 
pro-nun-^i-a^-tion, n. The act of ut¬ 
tering with articulation. 
pun«-tu-a'-tioil, n. The art of point¬ 
ing a writing or discourse. 
rlie-t5r'-i«-al, a. Oratorical. 



LESSON 78. 


HOMOPHO^OUS IVORDS. 


“ Not all who seem to fail have failed indeed, 

Not all who fail have therefore worked iu vain; 
For all our acts to many issues lead.’* 


feat, n. An exploit, 
feet, n. Plural of foot. 

flue, «. An air passage, especially that 
of a chimney, 
flew, V. i. Past of fly. 
flour, n. Finely ground grain, 
flow'-er, n. A blossom, 
fort, «. A fortified place, 
forte, n. That in which one excels. ^ 
forth, adv. Forward, 
fourth, n. One of four equal parts: 
{a.') next following third. 


foul, a. Filthy; unfair. 

fowl, n. A bird; poultry. 

frank, a. Free; candid. 
frau«, n. A French coin. 

freeze, v. t. To congeal, 
frieze, n. A coarse cloth. 

gait, n. Manner of walking, 
gate, n. An entrance. 

riit, n. Appearing like gold, 
guilt, n. Crime. 


a-eous'-ties (-kow'-stiks). 

science of sounds, 
as-trou'-o-my, n. Tne science of the 
heavenly bodies. 

hi-6F-0-gy, n. The science of life, 
-ehem'-is-try, n. The science showing 
the nature and properties of bodies. 
en-to-moF-o-gy, n. The science which 
treats of insects. 

Sth-n5F-o-gy, n. The science that 
treats of the races of men. 


et-y-iinoF-o-gy, n. Treats of the deri¬ 
vation of words. 

gas-tron'-o-my, n. The science of good 
eating. 

ge-oF-o-gy, n. The science which treats 
of the structure of the earth. 

ge-om'-e-try, n. The science of quan¬ 
tity and mensuration. 

gram'-mar, n. The science of language. 

hy'-gi-ene, n. The part of medical 
science which treats of the preserva 
tion of health. 


LESSON 79. 

^ SCIPINCHS. 

Science, when well digested, is nothing but good sense and x^’san.—Stanislaus, 
n. The 







BUSINESS SERIES. 


48 . 


pM-lds'-O-phy, n. The science of ef¬ 
fects by their causes, 
pho-tog'-ra-phy, n. The science of 
the action of light on sensitive bodies 
in the production of pictures, 
plij^g I-ol'-o-gy, n. The science which 
treats of organs and their functions. 
po-mdr-O-gy, n. Science of fruits. 


sta-tlst'-l«s, n. The science which 
collects and classifies facts. 
te-lSg'-ra-phy, n. The science of com¬ 
municating by means of telegraphs, 
the-dl'-o-gy, n. The science of God 
and his relations to his creatures, 
tlie'-o-ry, n. An exposition of the gen¬ 
eral principles of any science. 


LESSON 80. 

niCXAXIOX KXKRCISE^. 

I value science — none can prize it more, 

It gives ten thousand motives to adore 
Be it religious, as it ought to be. 

The heart it humbles, and it bows the knee; 

What time it lays the breast of nature bare, 

Discerns God’s fingers working everywhere. 

In the vast sweep of all embracing laws, 

Finds Him the real and only Cause; 

And in the light of clearest evidence 
Perceives Him acting in the present tense; 

Not as some ;laim, once acting, but now not. 

The glorious product of His hands forgot — 

Having wound np the grand autSm^aton 

Leaving it, henceforth, to itself to rym.—Abraham Coles. 


LESSON 8!. 

RHRXAIXIXG XO SCIENCE. 


When man seized the loadstone of science 
clouds.— W. R. Alger. 

ap-pa-ra'-tiis, n. A set of instruments 
for performing scientific experiments. 
ba-r5m'-e-ter, n. An instrument for 
determining the weight of the air. 
■erii'-gi-ble, n. An earthen pot for 
melting metals. 

fri-e'-tion, n. The effect of rubbing, 
or the resistance which a body meets 
with from the surface on which it 
moves. 

f age, V. t. To dissolve by heat; to melt. 
gaF-va-nigm, n. Electricity generated 
by chemical action. 

liy-dranl'-i€, a. Pertaining to fluids in 
motiono 


the loadstar of superstition vanished in the 

liy'-dro-gen, n. A gas which consti¬ 
tutes one of the elem^ts of water, 
lab'-o i*a-to-ry, n. The work-room of 
a chemist. 

mi'-ero-s-eope, n. An optical instru¬ 
ment for magnifying objects. 
iiF-tro-geii, n. A gaseous element 
without taste, odor or color. 
6x'-y-gen, n. A gas without smell, 
taste or color. 

o'-z6ne, n. Oxygen in a condensed form, 
pho'-no-graph, n. An instrument for 
the mechanical registration and re¬ 
production of sounds. 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


49 


8U€-'tioii, «. The act of drawing by- 
exhausting the air. 

teP-e-plione, n. An instrument for 
reproducing articulate speech at a 
distance, by the aid of electricity. 
ter-e-S€ope, n. An optical instrument 
for viewing distant objects. 


ther-mom'-e-ter, n. An instrument 
for measuring temperature. 

va-e'-u-um, n. A space empty or de¬ 
void of all matter. 

Yolt'-age, n. Electrical force. 


LESSON 82. 

Perseverance is a Roman virtue 

That wins each god-like act, and plucks success 

Even from the spear-proof crest of rugged danger,—//arz/arrf. 


F-^i-ele, n. A pendant mass of ice. 

id'-i-o-Qy, «. Natural absence or marked 
deficiency of sense and intelligence. 

im-ma-te'-ri-al, a. Unimportant. 

im-niov'-a-ble, a. Firmly fixed; stead¬ 
fast. 

im-pair% v. /. To weaken; to make 
worse. 

im-pass'-a-ble, a. Incapable of being 
passed. 

im-pede', V. t. To hinder. 

im-pen'-e-tra-ble, a. Not to be en¬ 
tered. 

im-per'-fe€t, a. Defective in quality; 
wanting. 

im'-ple-meiit, n. An instrum.ent or 
utensil as supplying a requisite to an 

end. 


in-ap-pro'-pri-ate, a. Unsuitable, 
in-au'-gu-rate, v. t. To make a public 
exhibition for the first time, 
in-^ar'-jer-ate, v. t. To confine in jail 
or prison, 

in'-§i-deiit, n. An event; a circum 
stance. 

in-cdg'-m-to, a. In disguise or under 
an assumed character. 
iu-«o-lier'-eut, a. Unconnected; in¬ 
consistent. 

iii-«8u-sist'-ent, a. At variance. 
in-€uF-«ate, v. t. To impress by fre¬ 
quent admonitions. 

in-def'-i-nite, a. Having no certain 
limits. 

in-ev'-i-ta-ble, a. Unavoidable. 


LESSON 83. 

AR-lTHMETriC. 

Application is the price to be paid for mental acquisition. To have the harvest we must sow 
the seed.— Bailey. 


ab'-stra-et, a. Used without applica¬ 
tion to things. 

ad-dF'tion. n. Increase; that part of 
arithmetic which treats of adding 
numbers. 

a-mount', n. The sum total or result. 

a-nal'-y-sis, n. Resolution of anything 
into its elements. 

an'-a-lyze, V. t. To separate into first 
principles. 

a-rith'-me-ti«, n. The science of 
numbers. 


av'-er-age, n. A mean proportion. 
av-oir-dn-poi§' (ar-er-), n. A system 
of weights for coarse commodities, 
ba'-sis, n. The first principle. 
€ar-en“late, A To reckon; to com¬ 
pute. 

-ear'-at, n. Weight of four grains. 
§r-pher, n. A character that by itselt 
expresses nothing, but placed at the 
right of a number increases its value 
tenfold. 






60 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


d5^'-I-mal, n. Having tenfold increase 
or decrease. 

d§f n. Deficiency in amount. 

d6m'*on“Strate, v. t. To make evident 
or plain. 

de-ndm-i-na'-tion, n. A name. 


(lig'-it, n. One of nine significant 
figures. 

dim-i-nu'-tion, n. Making or growing 
less. 

dis'-€Oimt, n. Payment in advance of 
interest upon money loaned, 
diy'-i-deud, n. A number divided. 


LESSON 84. 

Aritlimetic. 

The mind, like all other things, will become impaired, the sciences are its food,— they nourish, 
but at the same time they consume it.— Bruyire. 


di-vP-gion, n. Separating into parts. 
ddP-lar, n. A silver coin of the U. S. 
weighing about 412grains; also 
gold coin weighing 25 yV grains stand¬ 
ard gold, or 23 ^ 2 ^ grains pure gold. 

dram, )«. oz. Apothecaries’ 

drachm, ) weight, 

dii-o-de^'-i-mal, a. Proceeding by 
twelves. 

e-quiy'-a-lent, a. Equal in value, 
ev-o-lu'-tion, n. The extraction of 
roots. 

ex-am'-ple, n. A pattern or copy; a 
sample. 

ex-po'-nent, n. That which points out 
or represents. 

ex-tra-e'-tion, n. The act of drawing 
out. 


fra-e'-tion, n. A portion, 
f un da-men'-tal, n. Essential part, 
gross, n. Twelve dozen; a. coarse, 
gain, n. Profit; benefit. 
gaP-lon, n. A measure containing foui 
quarts. 

gauge, V. /. To measure; to estimate, 
halve, V. t. To divide into two equal 
parts. 

in-sur'-an§e, n. Premium paid for in¬ 
suring property. 

in'-te-gral, a. Entire; not fractional. 
iii'-|;er-est, n. Premium paid for use 
of money. 

in-YO-lu'-tion, n. The multiplication 
of a number into itself a given num¬ 
ber of times. 


LESSON 85. 

Aritlimetic. 

The sciences are of a sociable disposition, and flourish best in the neighborhood of each other; 
nor is there any branch of learning but may be helped and improved by assistance drawn from 


other arts.— Blacksione. 

math-e-ma-tP-cian, n. One versed in 
mathematics. 

max'-i-miim, n. The greatest quantity 
or value attainable. 

mea§'-ure, n. Estimated extent or 
limit. 

min'-i-mum, n. The least quantity 
possible in a given case. 

min'-u-end, n. The number from which 
.aaiother is to be subtracted. 


naught, n. Nothing, 
nine'-ti-eth, n. One of ninety equal 
parts. 

no-ta'-tion, n. Any method of using 
signs, symbols, etc. 

nu-mer-a'-tion, n. The act of number^ 
ing. 

nh^-mer-al, n. A figure or character 
used to express a number, 
quad'-ru-ple,* «. A fourfold amount. 







SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


51 


quan'-ti-ty, n. Measure; amount, 
quo'-tient (kwo'-sheiit), n. The num¬ 
ber resulting frorti dividing one num¬ 
ber by another. 

re-^ip'-ro-eal, n. The quotient aris¬ 
ing from dividing unity by any quan¬ 
tity. 

ra^-ti-0 (-sM-o), n. Fixed relation of 
numbers. 


rS-ek'-on, v. t. To compute, 
re-main'-der, n. Anything left aftet 
removal of part. 

S€ale, n. Basis for a numeral system, 
un'-der-wri-ter, «. One who insures; 
an insurer. 

u'-§u-ry, «• Illegal interest. 


LESSON 86. 
a:ko forms. 

“ Right is the center of a circle, * about right ’ its circumference ; the circumference may be 
drawn to any size, but the center always remains the same.” 


a-e'-me, n. The highest point, 
al'-ti-tude, n. Height, 
an'gle, n. Difference of direction of 
two lines meeting in a point. 
ar€, «. A portion of a circumference, 
a'-re-a, Amount of surface, 
^en'-tral, a. Near the center. 

^ir^-ele, n. A plane figure bounded 
by a single curved line, every point 
of which is equally distant from a 
point within called the center. 
Qir-^um^-fer-enge, n. The line that 
bounds a circle. / 

€51'-umii, n. A cylindrical support for 
a roof; a perpendicular set of lines. 
€5ii'-€aYe, a. Hollow. 


•€5ii'-v5x, a. Regularly protuberant ol 
bulging. 

«res'-§eiit, n. The figure of the ne■^^ 
moon. 

■eu'-M-e, a. Having the form of a cube. 
■€iir'-va-ture, n. A continued bending. 
§y'-ele, n. A circle. 

<^yr-in-der, n. A long, circular body 
of uniform diameter, 
di-ag'-o-nal, n. The line joining oppo 
site angles of a quadrilateral, 
di-am'-e-ter, n. A straight line through 
the center of a circle or sphere, 
height, «. Altitude; elevation, 
hex'-a-gon, n. A plane figure of six 
equal sides and six equal angles. 


LESSON 87. 


I^lnes and Forms. 

“ Curved is the line of beauty, 
Straight is the line of duty : 

Follow the latter and thou shalt see 
The other always following thee.” 


h6r-i-z5n'-tal, Parallel to the hori¬ 

zon ; on a level. 

hy-pdt'-e-nuse, The longest side 
of a right-angled triangle, 
ir-reg'-u-lar, a. Not uniform, 
dh-l'ique' ( leek or -lik), a. Slanting, 
ob-tuse', a. Greater than a right angle; 
not pointed. 


d^'-ta-gdn, n. A plane figure of eight 
equal sides and eight equal angles, 
par'-al-lel, «. Lines equidistant from 
each other and lying in the same 
^lane. 

per-pen-dic'-u-lar, Vertical; in ge¬ 
ometry, at right angles to a given line. 
p5F-y-gon, n. A plane figure with 
more than four sides. 







52 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


p^r'-a-mid, a. A solid with triangular 
sides meeting in a common vertex, 
py-ram'-i-dal, a. Relating to pyramid, 
quad'-rap-gle, n. A plane figure with 
four angles. 

quad-ri-lat'-er-al, n. A figure having 
four sides and four angles. 
nV-di-us, n. Ivine from center to cir¬ 
cumference,—half the diameter. 


re€'-taii-gle) n. A figure having four 
sides and four right angles. 
SO-lId'-i-ty, n. Density; contents, 
spher'-ic-al, a. Round, like a sphere, 
tri-an'-gii-lar, a. Having three angles, 
ver'-ti-eal, a. Upright, 
ze'-uith, n. The point in the heavens 
directly overhead. 


LESSON 88. 

OICXATTIOPJ nXEK-CISK. 

“ If Upright or horizontal, or obliquely I incline, 

Whether straight or curved you see me, I am what is called a line. 

Like railroad tracks or telegraph wires or many things that I could tell. 
Which side by side extend so even, are lines which we call parallel. 
Should two of us be joined together at one end, and then we take 
Different directions, wholly, ’tis an angle that we make. 

When the lines are perpendicular, a right angle you will find; 

Acute is smaller, obtuse is larger, here is one of every kind. 

Draw these lines as I will show you; count them — one, two, three. 

And because there are three angles, 'tis a triangle you see. 

Very many kinds there may be, right-angled, acute, obtuse, 

I-sbs-ge-les and equilateral; let not these names your mind confuse. 

If we have four sides all equal, four right angles where they meet, 

And have drawn our figure neatly, we shall have a square complete.'L 


LESSON 89. 

H0I»101*110X0US WORDS. 

A man can bear a world’s contempt, 

When he has that within which says he’s v}or\.\iy.— Alexander Smith. 


gam'-bol, V. i. To play; to frolic, 
gam'-ble, v. i. To play for money. 

guessed, v. t. Conjectured, 
guest, n. A visitor. 

hare, n. A small animal, 
hair, «. The covering of part of the 
head. 

hear, v. t. To perceive by the ear. 
here, adv. In this place. 

heel, n. The back part of the foot, 
healy V. /. To effect a cure. 


heart, n. A vital organ, 
hart, n. A wild animal. 

hew (hu), V. t. To cut roughly, 
hue, n. A tint; a color. 

heard, v. t. Past tense of hear, 
lierd, n. A number of beasts assem 
bled together. 

him, Pron. Objective case of he. 
liymn, n. A song of devotion. 

hole, n. An opening, 
whole, a. All of anything. 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


53 


LESSON 90. 

GBOGRAPHY. 

Weep not that the world changes ; did it keep 
A stable, changeless state, ’twere cause indeed to vj&ep.— Bryant. 

ab-o-rig'-i-ual, a. First; primitive; 


original. 

a-bj^ss', n. A bottomless depth or gulf. 
St'-mos-pliere, n. The air that sur¬ 
rounds the earth. 

aii-ro'-ra bo-re-a'-lis, n. The north¬ 
ern lights. 

€at'-a-ra-et, n. A large waterfall. 
-eha§m, n. A deep opening caused by 
rupture or erosion. 

€5r-0-ny, n. A settlement. 

€ra'-ter, n. The mouth of a volcano, 
e-qua'-tor, n. A great circle which 
divides the earth into the northern 
and southern hemispheres, 
e'-qui-ndx, n. The time when days 
and nights are equal in length. 


fron'-tier, n. The part of a country 
that fronts on another country, 
gey'-ser, n. A boiling fountain. 
ge-6g'-ra-phy, 71. The science which 
treats of the earth and its inhabitants. 
gla'-§ier, n. A field of ice or snow 
moving slowly down a mountain side. 
lienF-i-sphere, «. A half sphere, 
lio-ri'-zon, ft. The apparent junction 
of earth and sky. 

is'-land (il'-and), n. A body of land 
surrounded by water, 
lat'-i-tude, n. Distance either north 
or south of the equator. 

Idn'-gi-tude, ft. Distance either east or 
west of some given meridian, 
me-rid^i-an, n. An imaginary great 
circle passing around the earth, and 
through the poles. 


LESSON 91. 


Geosrrapliy. 

I believe this earth is but the vestibule to glorious mansions, through which a moving crowd 
forever press.—yhanwa Baillie. 


me'-te-or, n. A transient, fiery body 
seen in the atmosphere. 
me-tr5p'-o-Us, ft. The chief city of a 
state or country. 

mi-rage' (-razh), n. An optical illusion, 
o'-a-sis, ft. A fertile spot in a desert. 
6-^e-aii'-i€ (-she-an'-)j a. Found or 
formed in the ocean, 
pen-iii'-sii-la (-su-, or -sliu-), n. Land 
almost surrounded by water, 
pla-teau' (-to), n. A level area of land 
in an elevated position, 
prai'-rie, n. An extensive tract of 
land without trees. 

prej'-i-pl^e, n. A very steep descent. 
ra-Tlne' (ra-yen'), n. A deep hollow. 


SQen'-er-y, n. Combination of natural 
views. 

se-c'-tion, n. A division; a portion, 
so'-lar, a. Pertaining to the sun. 
sub-ter-ra' iie-ous, a. Under ground, 
snr'-fa^e, n. The outside, 
tor'-rent, n. A stream running rapid¬ 
ly, as down a precipice, 
ter'-ri-to-ry, n. Extent of country not 
yet admitted as a State into the 
Union, but has a separate legislature 
of its own. 

tr6p'-i€-al, a. Pertaining to the trop¬ 
ics. 

un'-du-la-ting, p. a. Rising and fall¬ 
ing like waves; rolling, 
yal'-ley, n. Space between hills or 
mountains. 





54 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 92. 

DICTTATTIOI^ KXE«.CISE. 

“The strange current of human existence is like the Gulf Stream: three¬ 
score and ten years long, it bears each and all of us with a strong, steady sweep 
away from the Tropics of childhood, enameled with verdure and gaudy with 
bloom, through the temperate regions of manhood and womanhood, on to the 
frigid, lonely shores of dreary old age, snow-crowned and ice-veined. Individual 
destinies seem to resemble the tangled drift on those broad, bounding billows, 
driven nlther and thither, some to be scorched by equatorial heats, some to perish 
with polar perils, a few to take root and flourish, and many to stagnate in the 
long, inglorious rest of a Sargasso Sea.” 


LESSON 93. 


MISCEI^I^AXEOUS. 


“To have the taste of a gentleman and the purse of a beggar is about the height of human 
misery." 


in-f at'-ii-a-ted, a. Overcome by some 
foolish passion, 
hi'-fl-mte, a. Unlimited, 
hi-flex'-i-ble, a. Unalterable, 
in-gra'-ti-ate (-sW-ate), v. t. To bring 
into favor. 

in-gre'-di-ent, n. A component part, 
in-i'-tial (-ish'-al), «. The first letter 
of a word. 

in-T-ti-ate (-shi-ate), v. /. To begin; 
to introduce into a society or organ¬ 
ization. 

in-sig-mf'-i-caut, a. Without mean¬ 
ing; unimportant. 

iii-sta-MF-i-ty, n. Want of firmness 
in purpose. 


in'-stru-ment, n. That by which work 
is performed or anything effected, 
in-tan'-gi-ble, a. That which cannot 
be touched. 


in-ten'-si-fy, v. /, To render more in¬ 
tense. 

in-ter-^ept', v. t. To stop on the way. 
in-ter-fere', v. i. To take part in the 
concerns of others; to intermeddle, 
in-ter'-nal, a. Inward; interior, 
iii-ter-na'-tion-al, a. Pertaining to 
the relation of two or more nations, 
in'-tri-eate, a. Complicated; obscure, 
ir-re-spon'-si-ble, a. Not to be trusted, 
i'-vo-ry, n. The tusks of an elephant, 
ju'-ve-nile, a. Young. 


LESSON 94. 

PERXAIXIXG TTO IWOTTIOX. 

There is a medium between velocity and torpidity ; the Italians say it is not necessary to be 


an antelope, but we should not be a tortoise .—1 

a-c-§§l'-er-ate, v. i. To quicken. 
a€-tiv'-i-ty, n. Agdity. 
a^-ile, a. Quick of motion, 
au'-i'in&tey v. t. To quicken; to give 
life to. 

9e-ler'-i-ty, n. Rapidity of motion. 


^'Israeli. 

•crawl, V. i. To creep. 

Sx-pe-di'-tioils, a. Quick, 
has'-ten (has'-n), v. t. To hurry, 
nim'-bly, adv. With light, quick mo¬ 
tion. 

noige'-less, a. Silent; without noise. 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


55 


pro-grSs'-sion, n. A moving forward. 
qui€k'-iiess, n. Rapidity of motion. 
ra-pidM-ty, n. Swiftness, 
re-a-e'-tioii, n. Movement in a con¬ 
trary direction. 

re-moy'-al, n. Change of place. 


spright'-ly, a. Lively; brisk, 
stag'-nant, a. Motionless, 
sta'-tion-a-ry, a. Not moving. 
SWift'-ness, n. Rapidity of motion. 
ve-16§'-i-ty, n. Rate of motion. 


LESSON 95. 

xo axd kaxiguej. 

Go to the ant, thou sluggard, learn to live. 

And by her busy ways reform thine own.—Smart. 


en-niif (5ng-nwe9> A feeling of 
weariness and disgust. 

fa-tigue', n. Exhaustion of strength, 
in-er'-ti-a (-slii-a), n. That property 
of matter by which it tends when at 
rest to remain so, and when in motion 
to continue in motion, 
in-de-f at'-i-ga-ble, a. Not yielding to 
fatigue. 

in'-do-lenge, n. Indisposition to labor, 
la-bo'-ri-ous, a. Toilsome; tiresome, 
lan'-gnish, v. i. To sink away; to pine. 


lan'-guor (lang'-gwur), n. Listlessness, 
las'-si-tude, n. Weariness; dullness, 
la'-zi-ness, n. Indolence, 
letli'-ar-gy, n. Dullness; inaction, 
loi'-ter, V. i. To linger on the way. 
sloy'-en-ly, a. Disorderly; not neat, 
slu^-gard, n. A lazy person, 
squa'-ldr, n. Foulness; filthiness, 
te'-di-ofis or ted'-yus, a. Wearisome. 
tire'-s6me, a. Tedious; fatiguing. 
toiF-some, a. Laborious, 
tor'-por, n. Loss of motion; inactivity, 
wea'-ri-ness, n. Exhaustion of strength. 


LESSON 96. 

OICXAXIOIV kxhrcise:. 

“ Oh friend, grown weary with the painful climbing 
Up Fame’s high mount which ever upward slopes; 
On whose sad ear Fate’s bells are ever chiming 
The funeral knell of thy most cherished hopes; 
Hast thou drunk deep of Marah’s bitter fountain ? 

Has thy bright gold changed into useless dross ? 
Remember! One before thee climbed a mountain, 
And gained upon its summit — but a cross.** 


LESSON 97. 

WORDS i»e;rxaii*jii»jg xo music. 


The man that hath no music in himself, 

Nor is not mov’d with concord of sweet sounds, 

Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils.— Shakespeare. 


can-ta'-ta, n. A musical composition 
comprising choruses and solos, ar¬ 
ranged in a somewhat dramatic 


■ehoir (kwir), n. A company of sing¬ 
ers in church service. 


manner. 


€h6r'-is-ter, n. One who leads a choir. 







66 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


€6n-dU'Ct'-or, n. The leader or director 
in a musical performance. 
€6ii-trar-to, n. The part sung by the 
lowest female voice. 

n. A musical instrument of 

brass. 

gui-tar', n. A stringed musical instru¬ 
ment. 

har'-mo-iiy, n. Adaptation of parts to 
each other; succession of chords. 
mu-sT-cian (-zisli'-an), n. A skillful 
performer of music. 

6p'-er-a, n. A musical drama, 
dr-a-to'-ri-o, n. A sacred composition 
of music, the subject of which is gen¬ 
erally taken from the Scriptures, 
or'-elies-tra, «. A band of instru¬ 
mental musicians. 


pi-ii'-no, n. A musical instrument. 

quar-t^t', )«• A piece of music with 
quar-tette', j four parts each sung or 
played by a single person. 

sghdt'-tische (slidt'-teesli), n. Music 
appropriate to a kind of dance. 

ser-e-iiade', n. Music in the open air 
at night. 

so-pra'-no, n. The highest female 
voice. 

sym^-pho-ny, n. An instrumental and 
vocal composition of music. 
v6r-iiii-ta-ry, n. The organ playing 
at the opening of church, 
zitii^-er, n. A musical instrument 
with twenty-eight strings. 


LESSON 98. 

HOltlOPHOT^OUS WORDS. 

Do what thou dost as if the stake were heaven, 

And that thy last deed ere the judgment day.— Kingsley. 


i'-dle, n. Lazy. 

r-dol, n. A person or thing much 
loved or adored. 

r-dyl, n. A short, pastoral poem. 

in-dict', V. t. To charge with crime. 
in-dite% v. t. To compose. 

kill, V. t. To deprive of life, 
kiln, n. A large oven. 

knead, v. t. To work together, 
need, v. t. To be in want of. 

knight, n. A brave horseman; a title, 
nightf n. Time of darkness. 


knew (nil), v. t. Past of know; to 
have been aware of. 
gnu, n. A South African animal, 
new, a. Of late origin. 

knot, V. /. To tie; to perplex, 
not, adv. A word expressing denial. 

les'-sen, v. t. To diminish, 
les'-son, n. That which is to be learned. 

lev'-ee, n. An embankment, 
lev'-y, V. t. To raise or collect by as¬ 
sessment. 


LESSON 99. 

DICXAXIOI^J KXHRCISE^. 

The following is an illustration of pronunciation and spelling in the use of wrong words which 
have the same pronunciation as the right words, and which properly read, would sound right. 
In copying from dictation, the student is to write the right word. 

A rite suite little buoy, the sun of a grate kernel, with a rough about his 
neck, flue up the road as swift as eh dear. After a thyme he stopped at a gnu 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


«7 


house and wrung the belle. His tow hurt hymn and he kneaded wrest. A feint 
mown of pane rows from his lips. The made who herd the belle was about to 
pair a pare, but she through it down and ran with all her mite, for fear her 
guessed would not weight. Butt, when she saw the little won, tiers stood in her 
ayes at the site. “ Ewe poor deer! Why due yew lye hear ? Are yew dyeing 1 ” 
‘ ‘ Know,' ’ he said, ‘ ‘ I am feint too thee corps. ’ ’ She bore him inn her arms, as she 
aught, too a room where he might bee quiet, gave him bred and meet, held cent 
under his knows, tide his choler,^ rapped him warmly, gave him some suite 
drachm from a viol, till at last he went fourth hail as a* young horse. His eyes 
shown, his cheek was as read as a flour, and he gambled a hole our. 


LESSON 100. 


an'-thra-gite, n. 

mineral coal, 
bea'-con, n. A signal Are to notify the 
approach of an enemy, 
bi-tu' mi-noiis, a. Compounded with 
bitumen and mineral pitch, 
bdn'-fire, n. A Are made to express 
public joy, or for amusement, 
burn'-iug, v. /. Being on fire, 
•can'-iiel -eoal, n. A kind of mineral 
coal that burns with a clear, yellow 
flame, and has been used as a substi¬ 
tute for candles. 

■car'-bon, n. Pure charcoal. 
cliar'-€6al, «• Coal made by charring 
wood. 

•eoke, n. Mineral coal charred 
«om-bus'-ti-ble, a. Capable of burning. 
€OU-fla-gra'-tioii, n. Fire on a great 
scale. 


f ag'-ot, n. A bundle of sticks or twigs 
for fuel. 

gas'-o-line, «. A highly volatile fluid 
obtained from petroleum. 

hoF-o-eaust, n. Completely consumed 
by fire; great loss of life by fire. 

in-ean-des'-Qent, a. White or glow¬ 
ing with heat. - 

in-flam'-ma-ble, a. Capable of being 
set on fire. 

ker'-o-sene, n. Oil distilled from pe¬ 
troleum. 

kiu'-dling, n. Material for commenc¬ 
ing a fire. 

peat, n. A kind of vegetable substance, 
dried, used for fuel. 

pe-tro'-le-um, n. A liquid, inflamma¬ 
ble, bituminous oil; coal oil. 


FIRH AXD 

Fire! fire! It sets me in a craze 
To see a first-class building all ablaze ; 

A burning house resembles, when I’m nigh. 

Some old acquaintance just about to die.— Carleton. 

A hard variety of 


LESSON 101. 


KURIHIXURB. 


bed'-stead, n. 

the bed. 


A 


“ Home’s not merely four square walls, 

Though with pictures hung and gilded ; 
Home is where affection calls, 

Filled with shrines the heart hath builded.” 


rrame 


for supporting 


bri-e'-a-bra-e, n. A miscellaneous col¬ 
lection of antiquarian or artistic cu¬ 


riosities. 


bdbk'-case, n. A case with shelves for 
holding books. 


bu'-reau (bu'-ro), n. 
drawers. 


A chest of 





BUSINESS SERIES. 


9S 


«ab'-i-net, ft. A piece of furniture 
with drawers, shelves and doors. 

Qhan-de-lier', n. A frame with branches 
to hold a number of lights for illu¬ 
mination. 

§hif-fo-nier' (shif-fon-eer'), n. A 

movable and ornamental piece of 
furniture; a kind of bureau. 

■cup'-board (kub'-urd), n. A small 
closet in a room, with shelves for dishes. 

■CushMon, n. Any stuffed or padded 
surface. 

di-van', n, A movable sofa. 

ea'-§el, n. A frame on which pictures 
are placed. 

lounge, n. A small sofa. 


dt'-to-man, n. A stuffed seat without 

a back. 

ped'-es-tal, n. The part on which an 
upright work stands, 
portiere (por-ti-er'), n. A curtain, 
hanging across the opening for a door, 
ra'-di-a-tor, n. The part of a heating 
apparatus the use of which is to radi¬ 
ate heat. 

re-frig'-er-a-tor, n, A box for keep¬ 
ing things cool by means of ice. 
side'-board, n. A piece of cabinet¬ 
work, with compartments for dishes, 
so'-fa, n. A long, cushioned seat, used 
as a piece of furniture, 
tete'-a-tete (tat'-a-tat), n. A form of 
sofa for two persons. 


LESSON 102. 

I»ERTAI]VIP«{G TTO MCTURHS. 

Every man carries in his own head more pictures than are to be found in all the galleries of 
the world.— Beecher. 


am'-bro-type, n. A picture taken on 
prepared glass. 

da-guerre'-o-type, n. A picture on a 
plate of copper. 

du'-pli-€ate, n. An exact copy. 

ef'-fl-gy, n. An imitative figure. 

f a-e-sim'-i-le, ,n. An exact counter¬ 

part or copy. 

im-i-ta'-tion, n. Likeness. 

like'-ness, n. That which resembles 
or copies. 

lith'-o-graph, n. A print from a draw¬ 
ing on a stone. 

miii'-i-a-ture, n. A painting in colors 
on a reduced scale. 

neg'-a-tive, n. A picture on glass, 
used for producing photographs. 


o'-le-o-graph, «. A picture produced 
in oils, by a process similar to litho¬ 
graphic printing. 

paint'-iiig, n. A likeness, image, or 
scene depicted with paints. 

pho'-to-graph, n. A picture obtained 
by photography. 

pi-e-tur-esqiie', a. Fitted to form a 
good or pleasing picture. 

por'-trait, n. An exact likeness of a 
person. 

rep-re-§en-ta'-tion, n. A picture, 
model or other facsimile. 

re-gem'-ble, v. t. To be alike or similar 
to. 

sim-i-lar'-i-ty, n. Close likeness. 

si-mlF-i-tude, n. Likeness; resem¬ 
blance. 

xy-16g'-ra-phy (zi-log'-), n. Wood em 
graving. 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


69 


LESSON 103. 

MISCHLLAISBOVS. 

▲ little learning is a dangerous thing; 

Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: 
There Shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, 
And drinking largely sobers us Pope. 


la'-bel, n. A slip of paper affixed to 
anything, denoting its contents. 
lo-€0-m6'-tive, n. A self-propelling 
steam engine. 

lon-gev'-i-ty, n. Length of life. 
lu'-l)ri-€ate, v. t. To make smooth or 
slippery. 

mat'-ri-mo-ny, n. Marriage. 
me§'-mer-i§m, n. The art of inducing 
a state of the nervous system in which 
the actor claims to control the actions, 
and communicate directly with the 
mind of the recipient. 
m6d'-ern-ize, v. t. To cause to con¬ 
form to recent or present use or 
taste. 

m6d'-i-fy, v. t. To give new form to. 
mo-men'-tofts, a. Of great consequence. 


mon'-6-gram, n. A character com¬ 
posed of two or more letters inter¬ 
woven. 

mo-n6t'-o-nous, a. Continued with 
dull uniformity. 

nat'-u-ral, a. Not artificial nor exag¬ 
gerated. 

ne^'-es-sa-ry, a. Essential, 
neigh'-bor-lidbd, n. Adjoining dis¬ 
trict. 

neu'-tral, a. Not decided or pro¬ 
nounced; indifferent, 
nom'-i-nal, a. Existing in name only, 
iidr'-mal, a. Performing proper func¬ 
tions. 

no-to'-ri-ous, a. Manifest to the world, 
nov'-el-ty, n. Recentness of introduc¬ 
tion ; a new or strange thing, 
nup'-tial, a. Pertaining to marriage. 


LESSON 104. 

I»EIt.XAINIPJG TO TUB 

Were I so tall to reach the pole, 

Or grasp the ocean with my span, 

I must be measured by my soul, 

The mind’s the standard of the man. —Pope. 


an-ti 5 '-i-pate, v. t. To have a previ¬ 
ous view or impression, 
ap-pre'-ci-ate (-shi-at), v. t. To esti¬ 
mate justly; to value, 
ap-pre-hend', v. t. To understand; 
to believe. 

as-ger-tain', v. t. To make certain; 
to assure. 

as-8id'-u-ous, a. Constant in applica¬ 
tion or attention. 


b e-lieve', v. t. To regard as true, 
-eog'-ni-zant (€ 0 g'- or «on'-), a. Hav¬ 
ing knowledge of. 

•c6m-pli-«a'-tion, n. Perplexity; en¬ 
tanglement. 

•cdm-pre-liend', v. t. To understand, 
■edn-je-e'-ture, n. Probable inference; 
surmise. 

«6n'-science (kdn'-shens), n. The 
moral sense. 







60 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


«dii'-scious (kdn'-shus), a. Possessing 
the faculty or power of kno-wing one’s 
own thoughts or mental operations. 

•Cdn'-strye, v. t. To interpret; to un¬ 
derstand. 

€du'-tem-plate or €on-tem'-plate, v. t. 
To meditate on; to study. 

«re-du'-li-ty, n. A disposition to be¬ 
lieve on slight evidence. 


■€u-ri-5s'-i-ty, n. Disposition to in¬ 
quire, investigate or seek after knowl¬ 
edge. 

de-§i'-plier, v. t. To unravel; to find 
out so as to make known the mean¬ 
ing of. 

des'-ig-nate, v. t. To mark out and 
make known. 

de-ter'-mine, v. t. To ascertain defi¬ 
nitely. 

de-Yel'-op, V. t. To unfold gradually. 


LESSON 105. 

Pertaining to tlie Mind. 

Talk not of talents ; what hast thou to do? 

Thy duty, be thy portion five or two. 

Talk not of talents; is thy duty done ? 

Thou hadst sufficient, were they ten or one.— Montgomery. 


di-gress', v. i. To wander from the 
main subject of attention in writing 
or speaking. 

diP-i-geiit, a. Steady and devoted in 
application. 

dis-a-gree% v. To differ in opinion. 

di§-§erii'-meiit, n. The faculty of the 
mind which distinguishes one thing 
from another. 

dis-cre'-tioii, n. Prudence; judgment. 

dis-«rim'-i-uate, v. t. To distinguish; 
to select. 

dis-tm'-giiish, v. /. To recognize or 
discern. 

en-deay'-or, n. An exertion of intel¬ 
lectual or physical strength. 

e-ni^-ma, n. A statement, the hidden 
meaning of which is to be discovered 
or guessed. 


ex-pe€t'-aut, a. Looking for; waiting, 
f ath'-om, V. t. To get to the bottom of. 
feign (fan), v. t. To pretend; to im¬ 
agine. 

gen'-ius (jen'-yus), n. Distinguished 
mental superiority, 
i-de'-al, a. Existing in thought, 
i-den'-ti-fy, v. t. To prove to be the 
same. 

im-ag-i-na'-tion, n. Image-making 
power; conception. 

im-pro-vi§e% v. t. To bring about on 
a sudden; off-hand, or without previ¬ 
ous preparation. • 

in-«li-na'-tion, n. Leaning of the 
mind, feelings, preferences, or will. 
in-3red'-i-ble, a. Impossible to be 
believed. 

in-de-pend'-enge, n. Free from de¬ 
pendence on others. 


LESSON 106. 


Pertaining to the Mind. 

Each, after all, learns only what he can ; 

Who grasps the moment as it flies. 

He is the real man.— Goethe. 


lii-dls -erlmM-nate, a. Not making 
any distinction. 

In'-fer-en^e, n. A conclusion. 


m-fe'-ri-or, a. Lower in place, rank, 
or excellence. 

m-ge-nu'-i-ty, n. Power of ready in¬ 
vention. 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


61 


In-qnir'-y, n. Research; investigation. 
iii'-stln€t, n. Inward impulse 

n. The power to judge 
and comprehend. 

In-ter'-pret, v. t. To make clear; to 
explain the meaning of. 
In-ter'-ro-gate, v. t. To ask questions, 
in-tu I'-tion (-ish'-un)^ n. Immediate 
perception; instinctive knowledge of 
the relations of ideas, facts, or actions. 
log'-i€-al, a. According to reason, 
db-je-e'-tion, n. Reason or argument 
against. 


db-liy'-i-on, n Forgetfulness, 
ob'-sti-iiate, a. Not yielding to reason, 
o-pm^-ion (-yuii), n. A mental con¬ 
viction on any point of knowledge. 
Sp'-tion (-shun), n. The power of 
. choosing. 

per-^eive', v. t. To discern; to be¬ 
hold. 

per-ver'-sl-ty, n. Obstinacy, 
pref'-er-en^e, n. Choice 
prds-e-cu'-tion, n. Pursuits by effort 
of body or mind. 


LESSON 107. 

Pertaining: to tbe mind. 

Our whitest pearl we never find ; 

Our ripest fruit we never reach ; 

The flowering moments of the mind, 

Drop half their petals in our speech.— Holmes. 


pro-spe«'-tIve, a. 
time. 

ra^-tion-al (rash'-un-al), a. 
reason. 

re'-al-ize, v. t. To impress upon the 
mind as r^al; to accomplish, 
re-e'-og nize, v. t. To allow that one 
knows; to know again. 
ie«-oHe«t', V. t. To remember. 
ref'-er-enQe, n. One who or that 
which is referred to. 
re-fle-e'-ticn, n. Meditation, 
re-mem'-bran^e, w. Memory ; recol¬ 
lection. 

re'-tro-spect or rSt'-ro-, n. A con¬ 
templation of things past, 
sa-p'-cioiis, a. Shrewd; wise. 


skep'-ti-^i§m, n. An undecided, doubt¬ 
ful state of mind. 

spe€'-n-late, v. i. To contemplate; to 
consider. 

sto-lid'-i-ty, n. Dullness of intellect, 
su-per-f i'-cial (-f ish'-al), a. Not deep 
nor profound. 

sup-po-gP-tion, n. The act of imag¬ 
ining what is not proved to be true, 
tal'-eiit-ed, a. Possessing skill or talent. 
iiu-der-staudS v. t. To have knowl¬ 
edge of; to comprehend; to know, 
un-rea'-gon-a-ble, a. Not agreeable 
to reason. 

ya^'-il-late, v. i. To fluctuate in mind 
or opinion; to waver. 
ya-ga'-ry» ^ wandering of the 
thoughts. 


Looking forward in 
Having 


LESSON 108. 


DICTAXIOJiJ EXKITCISE:. 

Our brains are seventy-year clocks. The Angel of Life winds them up once 
for all, then closes the case, and gives the key into the hand of the Angel of the 
Resurrection. Tic-tac! tic-tac! go the wheels of thought; our will cannot stop 
them; they cannot stop themselves; sleep cannot still them; madness only makes 
them go faster; death alone can break into the case, and, seizing the ever-swinging 
pendulum,which we call the heart, silence at last the clicking of the terrible escape¬ 
ment we have carried so long beneath our wrinkled foreheads.— W, Holmes. 






62 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 109. 

IIOMOPHOISOUS WORMS. 

Truth crushed to earth will rise again ; 

The eternal years of God are hers : 

But Error, wounded, writhes in pain. 

And dies amid his worshipers.—.ffrjj/anA 


lax, a. Not severe, rigid or strict', 
loose. 

vla-eks, V. /. Wants; needs. 

li'-ar, n. One who falsifies, 
lyre, n. A musical instrument. 

lie, n. A falsehood, 
lye, n. Solution obtained by water 
passing through wood ashes. 

links, n. Rings or parts of a chain, 
lynx, n. A kind of wild cat, that prowls 
about at night. 

loan, n. That which is lent, 
lone, a. Solitary. 


loch (16k), n. A lake. 

16ck, n. A fastening for doors, trunks, 
etc. 

niMl, n. Letters, papers, etc., received 
through the post office. 

male, n- Masculine. 

made, v. /. Completed. 

maid, n. An unmarried woman. 

mane, n. Long hair on the neck of 
an animal. 

main, a. Chief; principal. 

maze, n. Perplexity. 

maize, n. Indian com. 


LESSON no. 

It is the masterful will that compresses a life-thought into a pregnant word or phrase, and 
sends it ringing through the centuries. — 


a-er6s'-ti-e, n. A poem whose initial 
letters spell a word or words, 
ad'-age, n. An old saying; a maxim. 
aP-le-go-ry, n. Description of one 
thing under the image of another. 
al'-ma-na€, n. A book containing a 
calendar of days, weeks, and months, 
am'-hi-gu'-i-ty, n. Uncertainty of sig¬ 
nification; double meaning. 
aii'-iial§, n. A series of historical 
events. 

a-non'-y-mous, a. Without the real 
name of the author. 
gu-to-bi-6g'-ra-pliy, n. One’s life 
written by one’s self, 
ax'-l-om, n. A self-evident truth; an 
established principle. 

belles-let'-tres (bel-let'-ter), «. Polite 
or elegant literature. 


bi-6g'-ra-pliy, n. History of one’s life 
and character. 

-edni'-men-ta-ry, n. A book of expla¬ 
nations on the work of any author, 
def-i-nr-tioii, n. An explanation of 
the meaning of a word or term. 
de-taiP, v. t. To report minutely. 
di€'-tion-a-ry ( shun-), n. A book 
containing words arranged alphabet¬ 
ically, with explanations of their 
meaning. 

en-^y-€lo-pe'-di-a, n. A general survey 
of human knowledge, 
er-ro'-ne-ous, a. Liable to mislead, 
es'-say, n. A composition treating of 
any particular subject, 
f a'-ble, n. A feigned story intended 
to instruct or amuse, 
flg'-ur-a-tiye, a. Not literal. 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


63 


LESSON Ml. 

l.,iterattire« 

Books, we know, are a substantial world, both pure and good ; 
Round these, with tendrils strong as flesh and blood. 

Our pastime and our happiness will grow.— Wordsworth. 


glds'-sa-ry, n. A limited dictionary. 
Iiis'-to-ry, n. Record of past events, 
il-lit'-er-ate, a. Ignorant of books; 
unlearned. 

il-lus'-trate, v. t. To ornament and 
explain by pictures, 
in'-dex, n. A table for facilitating 
reference to topics. 

leg'-end or le'-gend, n. Any story 
handed down from early times, 
lit'-er-a-ry, a. Pertaining to literature. 
lyr'-i«, n. A poem which expresses 
the individual emotions of the poet, 
meni'-oir or mem'- (-wor), n. A writ¬ 
ten memorial of an individual. 

iiar'-ra-tive, n. A story, 
nd'-meii-^la-tiire, n. The technical 
names used in any particular branch 
of science, as chemistry, botany, etc. 


pam'-phlet, n. A small book stitched 
together, but not bound, 
par'-a-hle, n. A kind of fable from 
which a moral is drawn, 
par'-a-graph, n. A subdivision of a 
writing or composition, 
par'-o-dy, n. A writing by which the 
words of the author are, with slight 
alterations, adapted to a different 
purpose. 

per-s5ii'-i-fy, v. t. To treat as a person. 
pi-C-to'-ri-al, a. Illustrated by pictures, 
pla'-gia-rist, «. One who purloins the , 
writings of another, and passes them 
off as his own. 

plau'-§i-ble, a. Apparently right, 
po'-et-ry, n. Metrical composition; 
verse. 


LESSON 112.. 

Lrlterature. 

It is the glorious doom of literature, that the evil perishes and the good remains.— 
Lytton. 


pre'-am-ble, n. An introductory por¬ 
tion ; a preface. 

pref'-a§e, n. An introduction to a 
book. ♦ 

pro-ver'-bi-al, a. Resembling or suit¬ 
able to a proverb. 

quo-ta'-tion, n. A part of a book 
or writing named, repeated as an il¬ 
lustration. 

rhyme (rim), n. A word answering in 
sound to another word; harmony of 
language. 

rhj^thm (ritlim), Harmonious flow 
of vocal soundSc 


ro-man§e', n. An extravagant story, 
sat'-ire, n. An invective poem, 
sa-vaiit' (sa-YOng'), n. One versed in 
literature or science, 
seii-sa'-tion-al, a. Fitted to excite 
great interest. 

sen'-si-hle, a. Containing sense or 
reason. 

sen-ti-meu'-tal, a. Having or contain¬ 
ing sentiment. 

se'-qnel, n. A succeeding part, 
se'-ri-al^ n. A work appearing in a 
series or a succession of parts. 
8taii'-*a, n. Part of a poem. 






64 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


ste'-re o-type, n. A plate with type- 
metal face, used in printing. 

sfip'-ple-ment, n. That which com¬ 
pletes something already arranged. 


sj^n-6n'-y-mou8, a. Conveying the 
same idea. 

tra-di'-tion-al, a. Only transmitted 
from age to age without writing. 

vo-eab'-fl-la-ry, n. A list of words ar¬ 
ranged alphabetically and explained. 


LESSON 113. 

OICXATTION KXEirciSH. 

“ It may be glorious to write thoughts that shall glad the two or three high 
souls, like those far stars that come in sight once in a century, but better far it is 
to speak one simple word, which now and then shall waken the free nature in the 
weak and friendless sons of men. 

To write some earnest verse or line, which seeking not the praise of art, shall 
make a clearer faith, and manhood shine in an untutored heart. 

He who doeth this, in verse or prose, may be forgotten in his day, but surely 
shall,be crowned at last with those who live and speak for aye.' 


LESSON 114. 

]»iisce:i.l,axe:ous. 


What I do now I do once for all. It is over, it 
Carlyle. 


Nothing ever happens but once in this world 

is gone, with all its eternity of solemn meaning.- 

db-li-ga'-tion, n. The binding power 
of a vow, promise, etc. 

5b-lit'-er-ate, V. t. To erase or blot 
out. 

5b'-8ta-€le, n. Anything that hinders 
progress. 

5b'-yi-ate, V. t. To prevent by inter¬ 
ception. 

6-e-ca'-§ioii, n. A favorable opportu¬ 
nity; occurrence. 

o-e-cu-pa'-tion, n. The principal busi¬ 
ness of one’s life; possession. 

df'-fer-to-ry, n. The act of offering 
or the thing offered, 
df-fi'-ci-ate ( flsh'-I-ate), /. To 
perform the appropriate business of 
an office or public trust. 


o'-gle, n. A side glance or look, 
o-mis'-sion, n. The act of leaving out. 
dp'-po-§ite, a. Facing; contrary. 
6r'-di-na-ry, a. Customary; common. 
6r-gaii-i-za'-tioii, n. An organized ex¬ 
istence. 

6-ri-en'-tal, a. Pertaining to the ori¬ 
ent or east. 

o-rig'-i-nal, a. Pertaining to the origin, 
dr'-iia-ment, n. That which adds 
grace or beauty 

or'-phan, n. A child who is bereaved 
of both father and mother, 
os-ten'-si-ble, a. Manifest; apparent. 
6-ver-whelm', v. t. To overspread or 
crush. 

Q-ver-wrought', v.i. Labored to excess. 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


65 


LESSON 115. 

PE^RXAIXII^G XO WAR OR MII^IXARY Sl^RVICH. 

“ Whether on the scaffold high, 

Or in the battle’s van. 

The fittest place that man can die 
Is where he dies for man.” 


ad'-ver-sa-ry, «. A member of a hos¬ 
tile party; an enemy. 

aid'-de-€amp (ad'-de-kdng), An 
officer who conveys the general’s or¬ 
ders, and represents him in corre¬ 
spondence and in directing move¬ 
ments. 

al-lF-an§e, n. A union or connection 
of interests. 

al-ly'j n. A confederate. 

an-nP-hi-late, v, t. To reduce to 
nothing. 

an-tag'-o-nize, v. t. To act in oppo 
sition. 

ar-tiF-ler-y, n. Offensive weapons of 
war; cannon. 

bay'-o-net, n. A dagger attached to a 
musket. 

biv'-oua€ (-wa-e), «. The watch or 
guard of a whole army; an encamp¬ 
ment for the night without tents or 
covering. 


bray'-er-y, n. Fearlessness of danger, 
brig-a-dier' g6n'-ek*-al, n. An officer 
next above a colonel. 

-ear'-bine, n, A fire-arm between the 
pistol and musket in length and 
weight, used by mounted troops, 
-ear'-tridge, n, A case containing a 
charge for a fire-arm. 

€ay'-al-ry, n. Mounted troops. 
chal'-lengCs An invitation to a 
contest. 

chap'-lain, n. A clergyman of the 
army. 

chief'-tain, n. A captain or leader, 
jhiy'-al-ry, Valor; knight errantry. 
€olonel (kbr'-nel), n. The commander 
of a regiment. 

-edn-di'-tion-aly a. Made or granted 
on certain terms. 


LESSON 116. 

Pertaining to War or military Service. 

Were half the power that fills the world with terror. 

Were half the wealth bestowed on camp and courts, 

Given to redeem the human mind from error. 

There were no need of arsenals and iorts.—Longfellow. 

ex-ploit', n. A great or noble achieve¬ 
ment. 

fi-n5sse', n. Stratagem. 
fdr'-agCj V. i. To ravage; to feed on 
spoil. 

for'-mi-da-ble, a. Exciting fear. 
fra'-€as, n. A noisy quarrel. 
gaF-lant, a. Brave; courageous, 
haz'-ard-ous, DangerouSo 
hos'-tile, a. Unfriendly. 


€5nLf is-€ate or €5n-f is'-eate, v. t. To 
appropriate, as a penalty, to the pub¬ 
lic use. 

€5n'-quer-or (kdpk'-er-ur), «. One 
who gains a victory. 

€dr'-po-ral, n, A military officer. 
€oiir'-age, Boldness; valor, 
di-plo'-ma-qy, n. Skill in securing ad¬ 
vantage. 

dy'-ua-niite, n. Nitro glycerine. 





66 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


In'-fant-ry, n. A body of soldiers on 
foot. 

in-vin'-^i-ble, a. Incapable of being 
conquered. 

knap'-sa^k (n&p'Oy A soldier's sack 

in which to cany Nothing. 


mas'-sa-€re (-ker), n. A cold-blooded 

destruction of life. 

ml-li'-tia ( lish'-a), n. National mil¬ 
itary force. 

mu'-ti-ny,«. Insurrection against au¬ 
thority. 


LESSON 117. 

Pertaittlng: to war or Military Servloe. 
Many a shaft at random sent, 

Finds mark the archer little meant I 
And many a word at random spoken. 

May soothe, or wound, a heart that’s broken.—Sco//. 


pa-trl-6t'-l«, a. Full of love for one's 

country. 

qul-vive' (ke-re?')- On the alert, like 
a sentinel. 

re-bSr, V. i. To take up arms traitorous¬ 
ly against the state or government, 
re-bgl'-lious (-yus), a. Traitorously 
renouncing the authority of the gov¬ 
ernment to which allegiance Is due. 
re-^rqit', n. A newly enlisted soldier. 
re-pSr, V. t. To drive back, 
re-glst'-anije, n. ^ Opposition, 
se-^ede', v. i. To withdraw, as a State 
from the Union. 

se-^5s'-sion (-sesh'-un), n. The with¬ 
drawal or attempt to withdraw from 
an organization. 

siege, n. Continued attempt to gain 
possession. 


skir'-mish, n. A contest; a slight 
fight in war. 

slqugh'-ter, v, t. To slay in battle; 
to visit with great destruction of life. 

Sol'-dier (sol'-jer), n. One who serves 
in the army. 

strat^-a-gem, n. A plan or scheme for 
deceiving an enemy. 

tar'-get, n, A mark for marksmen to 
fire at. 

trfii'-tor-olls, a. Guilty of treason; 
faithless. 

trea'-gon, n. Disloyalty. 

YaF-iant (TfiF-yaiit), a. Heroic; brave. 

val'-or-oils, a. Brave; courageous. 

van'-quish (vapk^-wish) , v. /. To con¬ 
quer. 


LESSON 118. 

WORDS DENOXIPiG CONKUSION. 

Times of general calamity and confusion have ever been productive of the greatest minds. 
The purest ore is produced from the hottest furnace, and the brightest thunderbolt from the 
darkest storm.— Colton. 

n^-i-tate, V. /. To disturb, 
ba^-bel,«. • Confusion, 
bois'-tor of.s, a. Noisy; rough; act¬ 
ing with noisy turbulence. 

•eha-otM€, a. Confused. 

€diii-mo'-tioii, n. Civil or public dis¬ 
turbance. 


-eon-iu'-gion, n. jjisoraer; tumult. 
dis-6r'-der, n. Confusion; disarray, 
^s-seii'-siou, n. Strife; discord, 
dis-turb'-au^e, n. Violent disorder. 
ex-§ite'-ment, n. Agitation, 
hab'-bilb, n. A great noise, 
hur'-lf-bur-lf, n. Confusion. 







SPKIyLING AND DEFINING. 


67 


hfis'-tle, V. t. To move hastily and in 
confusion. 

ramp'-age, n. A state of excitement 
or passion. 

rF-ot-ous, a. Unrestrained; engaging 
in riot. 

rough (riif), a. Tempestuous; not 
smooth. 


st6rm'-y, a. Proceeding from violent 
agitation or fury. 

tem-pes'-tu-ous, a.. Violent; stormy. 

tu-mur-tn-ous, a. Greatly agitated; 
confused. 

tur'-bu-leut, a. In violent commotion. 


LESSON 119. 

DICXAXIOHJ e^xhrcise:. 

“ Then came the mad retreat; the whirlwind snows 
Sweeping around them, merciless as man; 

The stiffening hand, the pulseless heart and eye. 
The frozen standard and the palsied arm; 

The unfrequent watch-fires, rising like red sparks 
Amidst the illimitable snows; the crowds 
Of spectral myriads shuddering around them, 
Frozen to statues; scathed by the red flames 
Or speared by howling savages; until 
Winter, less merciless than they, threw o’er them 
Her winding sheet of snows, deep burying 
Armies whose presence vanished like a dream.” 


LESSON 120. 

HOMOPHOXOUS WORDS. 

Count that day lost whose low descending sun. 
Views from thy hand no worthy action done.” 


man'-tel, n. The shelf over a fire¬ 
place, in front of the chimney, 
man'-tle, n. A loose wrap. 

man’-ner, n. Mode of action, 
man'-or, n. The land belonging to a 
lord or nobleman. 

meet, v. t. To encounter, 
meat, n. Flesh used for food, 
mete, v. t. To limit; to allot; to 
measure. 

med'-al, «. A reward of merit, 
med'-dle, v. i. To interfere; to take 
art in a thing with which one should 
ave nothing to do. 


met'-al, n. A lustrous mineral. 
mSt'-tle, n. Excitable temperament. 

mean, a. Low; vile; intermediate, 
mien, «. Appearance; manner. 

min'-er, n. One who works in a mine, 
min'-or, n. One under age. (a.) less. 

moan, v, i. To bewail. 

mown, V. t. Cut with a scythe, etc. 

oar, n. An instrument for rowing, 
ore, n. The compound of a metal and 
some other substance, 
o’er, Prep^ Contraction of over. - 






68 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 121. 

WORDS AI^J^OYANCK. 

“Men are bora to trouble at first, and exercised in it all their days, yet it will not hurt you 
unless it makes you sour, narrow and skeptical.” 


an-noy'-an^e, «. Causing trouble. 

§ha-grm' (slia-griii')> «• Vexation; 
mortification. 

dls-ad-van'-tage, n. Unfavorable cir¬ 
cumstances. 

dis-trSss', V. t. To cause pain to; to 
afflict. 

ex-^r^'-ci-at-ing (-shi-at-), v. t. Ex¬ 
tremely painful. 

har'-ass, v. t. To tease; to perplex. 

in-€on-veii'-ienQe (-yenge), n. Trouble; 
disadvantage. 

mis'-chie-vous, a> Troublesome; in¬ 
clined to do harm. 

mis-for'-tune, n. Ill luck; harm; 
disaster. 


nui'-san^e, n. That which annoys or 
gives trouble, 
dr'-de-al, n. Severe trial, 
per-plex', v. t. To tease; to distract, 
plagne, v, t. To vex; to trouble, 
prej'-u-di^e, n. Damage; prejudgment, 
tan'-ta-lize, v. t. To tease; to torment, 
teage, v. t. To vex with importunity; 
to annoy. 

tor-ment'-er or tor-ment'-or, n. One 
who torments. 

tor'-ture, v. t. To pain extremely. 
troub'-le-s6me, a. Giving trouble, 
vex-a'-tious, a. Teasing; annoying. 


LESSON 122. 

DKNOXIKJG I^JJURY. 

Is it worth while that we battle to humble 

Some poor fellow creature down in the dust ? 

Time will soon tumble all of us together. 

Humbled indeed, down into the dust .—Joaquin Miller. 


■ca-lfim'-ni-ate, v. t. To accuse falsely, 
■edn-tam'-i-nate, v. t. To pollute, 
•eor-rupt', v. t. To debase; to defile, 
de-mor'-al-ize, v. /. To corrupt the 
morals of. 

de-rSg'-a-to-ry, a. Injurious, 
det-ri-men'-tal, a. Hurtful. 
im-po-gT-tion, n. An excessive exac¬ 
tion. 

in-ju'-ri-ous, a. Harmful, 
laj'-fer-ate, v. t. To tear; to rend, 
mu'-ti-late, v. t. To destroy an essen¬ 
tial part of. 

per-m'-ciofis (-nish'-iis), a. Ruinous; 
destructive. 


per'-se-cute, v. i. To pursue in a 
manner to injure. 

per-yer'-sion, n. A change to something 
worse. 

poi'-gou-ofts, a. Corrupting; impair¬ 
ing soundness or purity, 
rij'-m-ous, a. Destructive, 
s-ean'-dal-ize, v. t. To defame. 
«lan'-der-ous, a. Containing defama¬ 
tion. 

sub'-tle (sut'-l), a. Sly in design, 
sur-rep-tr-tions (-tish'-us), a. Made 
or introduced fraudulently; done by 
stealth. 

yi'-o-leiiQe, n. Vehemence; unjust 
force= 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


69 


LESSON 123. 

FER.'TAINII^JG XO DISASTER. 

Disasters come not singly, but as if they watched and waited, 

Scanning one another’s motions. When the first descends the others 
Follow, follow, gathering flock-wise round their victim sick and wounded, 
First a shadow, then a sorrow, till the air is dark with anguish.— Longfellow. 


a-e-Qi-den'-tal, a. H-appening by 
chance. 

ad-yen'-ture, n. Hazard; a remark¬ 
able occurrence, 
ad-yer'-si-ty, «. Calamity, 
anx'-ious (ank'-slius), a. Being in 
painful suspense. 

€a-lam'-i-ty, n. Misfortune. 
€a§'-u-al-ty, n. An accident. 
€a-tas'-tro-phe, n. A final event of a 
disastrous nature. 

€ol-lF-§ioii, n. The act of striking 
together. 

■c5n-tin'-gen-§y, n. That which comes 
without being foreseen. 


dan'-ger-ous, Unsafe; full of risk, 
di-lem'-ma or di-lem^-ma, n. A state 
of things in which it is difficult to 
tell what to do. 

di§-as'-ter, n. An unfortunate event, 
e-mer'-gen-^y, n. An unforeseen oc¬ 
currence. 

jeop'-ard-y, n. Danger; peril, 
per'-il-ous, a. Full of risk; dangerous, 
quan'-da-ry, n. Doubt; uncertainty, 
qnar'-an-tine (kwor-), v. t. To com¬ 
pel to remain at a distance, 
se'-ri-ofis, a. Grave; solemn, 
so-li^'-it-ous, a. Anxious to avoid 
concerned. 

sus-pense% n. State of uncertainty. 


LESSON 124. 

DICXAXIOX KXBRCISB. 

Let Fate do her worst; there are relics of joy, 

Bright dreams of the past, which she cannot destroy; 

Which come in the night-time of sorrow and care, 

To bring back the features that joy used to wear. 

Long, long be my heart with such memories fill’d! 

Like the vase in which roses have once been distill’d— 

You may break, you may shatter the vase if you will, 

But the scent of the roses will hang round it still .—Thomas Moore. 


LESSON *125. 


laiSCKI^XrAXEOUS. 


Among the pitfalls in our way. 

The best of us walk blindly ; 

So man, be wary, watch and pray. 

And judge your brother kindly.— Alice Cary. 


pa<2'-i-f y, V. t. To tranquilize; to allay. 
paF-li-ate, v. t. To cover with excuse. 
par-ti-aF-i-ty ( sM-aF-), n. Inclination 
to favor one side of the question, or 
one party. 


par-ti§'-i-pate, V. t. To share; to par¬ 
take. 

pass'-a-ble. a. That can be passed , 
acceptable. 

pe-«uF-iar (-kuF-yar;, a. Unusual 
singular. 





70 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


p5n'-du-lous, a. Hanging; swinging, 
pen'-e-trate, v. i. To enter into, 
per'-fo-rate, v. t. To make a hole or 
holes through. 

per'-ish-a-ble, a. Subject to decay, 
per'-me-ate, v. t. To penetrate and 
pass through without causing rupture, 
per'-pe-trate, v, t. .To commit; to be 
guilty of. 

per-se-Yer'-anje, n. Continued pur¬ 
suit 


pSt'-ri-fy, V. t. . To convert to stone, 
pho-net'-i-e, a. Representing sounds, 
ph^g'-i-e-al, a. Relating to natural or 
material things. 

pierge'-a-ble, Capable of being 
pierced. 

pinMon (-yun), n. A feather or wing. 
post'*age, n. The price paid for the 
conveyance of all mailable matter, 
pra-e'-ti^e, n. Actual performance, 
not theory. 


LESSON 126. 

PHR'rAi:KI^G XO TRAVKI^ING. 

It’s quite the thing to travel nowadays 

And see if distant ground in general looks 

As mentioned in the papers and in books.— Carleton, 


ba^-gage, n. Trunks, valises, etc., 
containing clothing which a traveler 
carries with him on his journey. 

§ir-€u-la'-tion, n. Going about from 
place to place. 

<jir-cu'-i-tofts, a. Going round about 
or indirect. 

de'-pot, n. A place where goods are 
stored; a warehouse. 

des-ti-na'-tion, n. End of a journey. 

em'-i-grate, v. i. To move from one 
state or country to another. 

Sx-Cur'-sion, n. A trip for pleasure or 
health. 

ex'-O-dtts, n. Departure from a place. 

n. Travel from one place 
to another 

mi'-gra-to-ry, a. Regularly moving 
from one place to another. 


pe-des'-tri-an, n. One who travels or 
journeys on foot. 

port-man'-teau (-man'-to); n. A bag 
of leather for carrying clothing on 
journeys. 

route (rd?>t or rowt), n. The way 
traveled. 

sach'-el also satch'*el, n. A small 
sack or bag. 

ter'-mi-nus, n. The extreme point at 
either end of a line of railway. 

tour'-ist, n. One who journeys in a 
“circuit. 

trans-por-ta'-tion, Removal; con¬ 
veyance. 

trav'-el-er, n. One who travels. 

ya-lise', n. A traveling bag. 

wan'-der, v, t. To travel without a 
certain course. 


LESSON 127. 

DICXAXIOT^ KXKRCISK. 

Tell me gentle traveler, who through the world hast gone, 
And seen the sweetest roses blow. 

And brightest gliding rivers flow, 

Of all thine eyes have looked Mr>orL which is the fairest land ? 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


71 


Child, shall I tell where Nature has best and fairest flowers ? 

It is where those we love abide; 

Though small that space it is more wide 
Than kingdoms; though a desert bare, 

The river of the gods is there, 

And there are the enchanted bowers.— From a Persian Poem. 


LESSON 128. 

VKHICI^HS. 

“ For a restorative to a weary brain, bracing to weary muscles, exhilaration for the blues, a 
smoothing out of tangled nerves, and for an exercise that strengthens while it does not exhaust, 
pumping fresh red blood vigorously to the very finger tips, ride a bicycle.” 


am'-bu-lan^e, n. A kind of movable 
hospital; a vehicle for conveying in¬ 
jured persons to a hospital, 
ba-rgnche' (ba-r^sli')» n. A four- 
wheeled carriage with falling top, 
and seat outside for driver. 
bi'-<jy-ele, n. A two-wheeled veloci¬ 
pede. 

bug'-gy, n, A light carriage. 
€ar'-riage, n. A vehicle, especially 
for pleasure or passengers. 

$hai§e (shaz), n. A two-wheeled car¬ 
riage, with a calash top, and the 
body hung on leather straps, 
char'-i-ot, n. A four-wheeled state 
carriage, with one seat. 
€5ii-Tgy'-an§ej n. The means of car¬ 
rying anything from place to place, 
■cou-pe' (kob-pa'), «• A four-wheeled 
"close carriage for passengers, 
han'-som, n. A light, low, two-wheeled 
street carriage, with the driver’s seat 
elevated behind. 


5m'-ni-bus, n. A large, four-wheeled 
carriage, conveniently arranged for 
carrying many people. 
plia'-e-tSn, n. An open carriage, 
sleigh, n. A vehicle moved on runners, 
stage'-eoach, n. A coach that runs 
regularly from one place to another, 
for the convenience of passengers, 
shr'-rey, n. A two-seated carriage. 
trP-^y-ele, n. A three-wheeled veloc¬ 
ipede. 

ve'-hi-€le, n. A conveyance. 
ve-lo(j'-i-pode, n. A two-wheeled car¬ 
riage for a single person, propelled 
by the feet of the rider. 
vi€-to'-ri-a, n. A four-wheeled car¬ 
riage designed for two persons, with 
a driver’s seat. 

wag'-on, n. A vehicle on four wheels, 
especially used for carrying freight. 


LESSON 129. 


a-bbard% adv. Within a ship or boat, 
ap-eh'-or, n. An iron instrument for 
holding a boat at rest in the water. 
bSr^e, n. A large boat for conve 5 ring 
passengers or goods. 


Every man 
ts. 

A house of worship for 

■ea-npe', n. A small boat made of a 
tree or bark. 


XO ISAVIGAXIOFJ. 

No man ever sailed over exactly the same route that another sailed before him. 
who starts on the ocean of life arches his sails to an untried breeze.— William Mathews. 

BetlF-el, n. 

seamen. 





72 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


€ap'-stail, n. A strong column of tim¬ 
ber, with levers, for heaving in cables, 
as in raising the anchor, 
flo-til'-la, n. A fleet of small vessels. 
gM'-ley, «. A low, flat-builc boat with 
one deck, navigated with sails and 
oars. 

g6ii'-do-la, n. A long, narrow, flat- 
bottomed pleasure boat used in 
Venice, Italy, on the canals. 
g6n-do-lier', n. A man who rows a 
gondola. 

lar'-board (or port), «• Left-hand side 
of a ship when looking forward, 
ma-rlne', a. Pertaining to navigation 
or the sea. 


mar'-i-time, a. Pertaining to the ocean; 
marine. 

nau'-ti-e-al, a. Pertaining to seamen 
or art of navigation, 
nar'-i-ga-tor, n. One who navigates 
or sails. 

nav-i-ga'-tion, n. Passing on water in 
ships or other vessels, 
na'-vy, n. All of the ships of war be¬ 
longing to a nation, 
s-ehdbn'-er, n. A small, sharp-built 
vessel with two or three masts, and 
fore and aft sails. 

star'-board, n. Right-hand side of a 
ship when looking forward, 
yacht (ydt), n, A pleasure vessel. 


LESSON 130. 

DICXAXIO:^( KXHR-CISH. 

With white wings spread she bounded o’er the deep, 

Home from the tossing of a stormy sea. 

Where waves had yawned, and winds howled fearfully; 

And where the harbor’s waters seemed to sleep 
In breezes calm, and deep, untroubled rest. 

She glided in, furling her weary wing. 

Dropping her anchor down, and like a living thing 
Settled securely on the water’s breast. 

So, Oh, my God! from the rough sea of life. 

Driven by doubt and fear and haggard care. 

Let me my worn and weary spirit bear. 

Far from its rage, and noise and stormy strife. 

Into the haven of Thy sheltering love. 

And And an anchorage no storm can move.— Mary A. Livermore. 


LESSON 131. 


PHRXAIXI]KG XO WIND AND WHAXHHR. 


The day is cold, and dark, and dreary ; 

It rains, and the wind is never weary ; 

The vine still clings to the mouldering wall, 

But at every gfust the dead leaves fall, 

And the day is dark and dreary.— Longfellow. 


•calm'-ness, n. Quietness. 

■eon-geaP, v. t. To freeze. 

<jy'-elonc, n. A rotary hurricane, 
drlz'-zle, v. i. To fall in small drops. 

dronght (droat), n. Dry weather. 


e-le-e-tri^'-i-ty, n. The electric fluid 
identical with lightning. 
e-qui-n6€'-tial, a. Pertaining to the 
time when the days and nights are of 
equal length. 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 73 


Damp; misty; cloudy. 

frig-'-id, a. Cold. 

liur'-ri-cane, «. A violent storm with 
wind. 

lu-elem'-en-^y, a. Storminess; rough¬ 
ness. 

pe-ri-6d'-i-e-al, a. Happening at fixed 
intervals. 

si-mdT>n', n. A hot, dry wind, gener¬ 
ated by the extreme heat of the 
parched desert, or sandy plains. 

tem-pSs'-tu-OUS, a. Stormy; violent. 


thun'-der-«loud, n. A cloud that pro¬ 
duces lightning and thunder, 
tor-na'-do, n. A hurricane. 
t6r'-rid, a. Violently hot. 
ty-phd^ii% n. A violent whirlwind that 
rushes up from the earth, whirling 
clouds of dust. 

whirl'-wind, n. A violent wind, mov¬ 
ing in a circle, and having a progress¬ 
ive motion. 

zeph'-yr, «. Any soft, mild, gentle 
breeze. 


LESSON 132. 

HOIWOPllO^OUS WORDS. 

Habits are soon assumed, but when we strive 
To strip them off, ’tis being flayed alive.— Cowper. 


oiie (wun), a. Single. 

wdn, V. t. Obtained; conquered. 

our, pro. Belonging to us. 
hour, n. Sixty minutes. 

pale, a. White; not bright, 
pail, n. A vessel with a bail. 

pane, n. A plate of glass for a window, 
pain, n. Suffering. 

pal'-ate, n. The roof of the mouth, 
pal'-let, n. A small and poor or rude bed. 


pair, n. Two things of a kind, 
pear, n. A kind of fruit. 

peal, «. A loud sound, 
peel, V. t. To remove the skin. 

pea^e, n. Calmness. 
pie§e, n. A part of anything. 

peak, n. The summit, 
pique (pek), n. Wounded pride. 

peer, n. A nobleman; an equal, 
pier, n. Support of a bridge. 


LESSON 133. 

XIMB. 


We live in deeds, not years ; in thoughts, not breaths ; 

In feelings, not in figures on a dial; 

We should count time by heart throbs. He most lives 
Who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the hG^st.—Bailey. 


aft'-er-ward, adv. In time subsequent, 
au'-tumn, ?t. Third season of the 
year; decline 

^ease'-less, a. Without pause or end. 
^eii'-tu-ry, n. A period of a hundred 
years. 

«5n-tlu'-u-al, 
ceasing. 


de€'-ade, n. The sum or number of 
ten, as ten years. 

di-re-et'-ly, adv. Immediately; with¬ 
out delay. 

di-ur'-nal, a. Daily. 

e-lapse', v. i. To pass away silently, 
as time. 

e-phem'-e-ral, a. Beginning and end¬ 
ing in a day. 


a. Perpetual; never 







74 


BUSINESS SBRIBS. 


Sre-ldng^, adv. Before long; soon. 

fre'-quen-^y, «. Occurrence oft re¬ 
peated. 

im-me'-di-ate-ly, adv. Without delay; 
directly. 

m-staii-ta'-iie-ous, a. Done in an in¬ 
stant. 

leap'-year, n. Every fourth year, 
containing 366 days. 


lei'-gure, n. Time free from employ¬ 
ment. 

min'-ute (min'-It), n. Sixty seconds 
of time. 

mo'-meii-ta-ry, a. Lasting a very short 
time. 

U0€-ttir'-iial, a. Occurring or done at 
night. 

6f'-ten adv. Frequently. 


LESSON 134. 

'Time. 

“ The years have linings, just as goblets do ; 
The old year forms the lining of the new ; 
Filled with the wine of pleasant memories, 
The golden was doth line the silver is." 


5p-por-tune', a. Seasonable; timely, 
op-por-tu'-ni-ty, n. Fit or convenient 
time. 

per-en'-iii-al, a. Year after year con¬ 
tinuously. 

per'-ma-neii-Qy, n. Duration; contin¬ 
uance in the same state or place, 
per-pet'-n-al, Never ceasing, 
pre'-yi-ous, a. Happening before, 
pro-cras'-ti-nate, v. t. To put off till 
tomorrow, or from day to day; to 
postpone. 

re'-^ent-ly, adv. Not long since, 
re-eur'-rent, a. Returning from time 
to time. 

sea'-gou-a-ble, a. Opportune; timely. 


se«'-ond, n. The sixtieth part of a 
minute of time. 

si-mul-ta'-ne-ous, a. At the same 
time. 

sub'-se-quent, a. Following in time. 

sum'-mer, n. The second season of 
the year. 

tar'-di-ly, adv. Slowly. 

tem'-po-ra-ry, a. Lasting for a short 
time only. 

tran'-sient (-shSnt), a. Of short du¬ 
ration. 

uu-ii'-gii-al, a. Not occurring often; 
uncommon. 

u'-gtt-al, a. Occurring often; customary. 

year'-ly, a. Happening or coming 
every year. 


LESSON 135. 

DICXAXIOKJ hxhrcise;. 

“ O a wonderful stream is the river Time 
As it runs through the realm of tears. 

With a faultless rhythm and musical rhyme. 

And a broader sweep and a surge sublime, 

As it blends in the ocean of years. 

How the winters are drifting like flakes of snow. 

And the summers like buds between, 

And the year in the sheaf, how they come and they go 
On the river’s breast with its ebb and flow. 

As it glides in the shadow and sheen. ’ ’ 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


75 


LESSON 136. 

From torch reversed, the flame 
Still streameth, rising straight; 
So struggleth up the brave man 
Stricken down by fate.” 


pre-dSm'-l-liaBt, a. Prevalent over 
others; superior in strength, influence 
or authority. 

prep-a-ra'-tion, n. Anything which 
makes ready or prepares the way. 
prSv'-a-lenje, «. General existence 
or extension. 

priv'-i-lege, n, A peculiar benefit or 
advantage. 

pr5b'-a-ble, a. Likely; having more 
evidence for than against, 
pro-^e'-dnre, n. An act performed. 
pr6-e-la-ma'-tion, n. An official or 
general notice. 

pro-du'-cji-ble, Capable of being 
brought for^ 


prom-e-nade' or pr$m*e-nade% v, i. 

To walk for amusement or exercise. 
prSm'-i-neiige, n. Conspicuousness, 
pro-mls'-eu-oiis, a. Miscellaneous, 
pub-lig'-i-ty, n. Notoriety; being 
public. 

puF-ver-ize, v, /. To reduce to fine 
powder. 

pun«'-tnre, v, /. To pierce with a 
small pointed instrument, 
phr-su'-ant, a. Following. 
pur-Tey% v. /. To furnish or provide, 
qua-drille' (kwa- or ka-), n. A kind 
of dance. 

rad'-i-eal, a. Extreme; unsparing, 
raig'-a-ble, a. That can be raised. 
rau'-^Idy a. Having a rank smell. 


LESSON 137. 

WORDS ITSKD IPi SOCIRXY. 

I,ike as a plank of drift-wood, tossed on the watery main. 
Another plank encounters, meets, touches, parts again ; 
So, meeting and parting ever, on life’s unresting sea, 

Men meet, and greet, and sever, parting eternally.” 


a-c-quaint'-aiKje, n. One well known, 
as-sem'-ble, v, t. Tc meet or come 
together. 

as-so'-ci-ate (-shi-at), «. A compan¬ 
ion. 

aus-iF-ia-ry (-ya-if ), a. Helping; as- 

” sisting. 

e-clatS n. Brilliancy of success; splen¬ 
dor. 

e-lite' (a-leet'), A choice or select 
body. 

m-form'-al, a. Not in the usual estab¬ 
lished form. 

in'-ter-view, n. A conference. 
in'-ti.-ma-<^y, n. Nearness in friendship. 
Ui-tro-du?e% v. t. To make known 

by formal announcement. 


i'-so-late or is'-o-late. v, /. To place 
by oneself, or itselr. 
mii'-tu-al, Interchanged; common, 
ds'-tra-^ize, /. To banish from 
society. 

per'-son-al, a. Belonging or pertain¬ 
ing to a person. 

roll-tine^ n. A round of business or 
“pleasure often pursued, 
se-elu'-gion, n. Separation from society, 
so'-cia-ble (-sha-bl), a. Fond of com¬ 
panions. 

so-§F-e-ty, n. An association for mu¬ 
tual benefit, pleasure or usefulness, 
soi-ree' (swa-ra')» An evening 
party. 

sol'-i-tude, n. State of being alone. 






76 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 138. 

NAMHS TO 

To thine own self be true, 

And it must follow, as the night the day. 

Thou canst not then be false to any Shakespeare. 


b^cli'-e-lor, n. An unmarried man. 
ben'-e-di-et, n. A married man. 
bretb'-ren, n. Used in Scriptural lan¬ 
guage in place of brothers. 
chaii'-<jel-lor, n, A judicial officer of 
high rank. 

chbrl, n. A surly, ill-bred fellow. 

ti. A dull old fellow, 
fra-ter'-nal, a. Brotherly, 
gi'-ant, n. A man of extraordinary 
bulk or stature. 

i-tm'-er-aut, n. One who travels from 
place to place, particularly a preacher, 
mas'-eu-line, a. Not feminine; strong; 
robust. 

Mor'-phe-iis, n. The god of dreams. 


nSph'-ew, n. The son of a brother or 
sister. 

pro-fess'-or, n. One who professes or 
teaches a science or branch of learning, 
pu'-gil-ist, n. One who fights with his 
fists. 

S€ulp'-tor, One whose occupation 
is to carve images or figures, 
swain, A country gallant or lover, 
tu^-tor, A private or public teacher, 
fig'-ele, «. The brother of one’s father 
or mother. 

vet^-er-au, One grown old in serv¬ 
ice. 

vi-c'-ar, The incumbent of an ap¬ 
propriated benefice. 


LESSON 139. 

DICXAXION BXBRCISK. 

“ Many men have been obscure in their origin and birth, but great and glori¬ 
ous in life and death. They have been bom and nurtured in villages, but have 
reigned and triumphed in cities. They were first laid in the mangers of poverty 
and obscurity, but afterwards have become possessors of thrones and palaces. 
Their fame is like the pinnacle which ascends higher and higher, until at last it 
becomes a most conspicuous and towering object of attraction. It is not good for 
human nature to have the road of life made too easy. So it is a common saying 
that the men who are most successful in business are those who begin the world 
in their shirt sleeves, while those who begin with fortunes generally lose them.” 


LESSON 140. 


NAIWES ARRI^IHO XO 

A woman is too slight a thing 

To trample the world without feeling its sting.—Ozren Meredith. 


brp-netteS «. 

plexion. 
■eo-quette% n. 
dqugh^-ter, n. 


A woman of dark com- 

A jilt; a flirt. 

A female descendant. 


dow'-a-ger, n. A title given in England 
to a widow, to distinguish her from 
the wife of her husband’s heir bear 
ing the same name. 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


77 


5m'-press, n. The consort or wife of 
an emperor. 

fem'-i-nine, a. Womanly, 
gdd'-dess, n. A female god. 
her'-o-ine, n. A woman of brave spirit, 
maid'-en, n. An unmarried woman. 
mam-ma% n. Mother, 
ma-ter'-nal, a. Motherly, 
ma'-tron, n. The female head of a 
household. 

Mi-ner'-ya, n. The goddess of wisdom, 
of war, and of the liberal arts. 


niei^e) «. The daughter of a brother 
or sister. 

pre-§ep''-tress, n. A female teacher. 

queen, n. A female monarch. 

shep'-lierd-ess (-erd ), n. A woman 
that tends sheep. 

si'-ren, n. An enticing or alluring 
woman. 

sul-ta'-na or sul-ta'-iia, n. The wife 
of a sultan. 

ter'-ma-gant, «. A boisterous, brawl¬ 
ing woman. 


LESSON 141. 

ai»i»i^ib:o xo pbrso^s. 

The heights by gfreat men reached and kept 
Were not attained by sudden flight; 

But they, while their companions slept, 

Were toiling upward in the night.— Longfellow. 


a-dftlt', n. A person gjown up. 

ap'-pli-eant, n. One who makes re¬ 
quest. 

as-pir'-ant, n. One who aspires or 
seeks with eagerness. 

as-sess'-or, n. One who determines 
the taxes. 

beg'-gar, n. One who begs. 

big'-ot, n. One unreasonably devoted 
to a party or creed. 

bldnde, n. A person with fair com¬ 
plexion. 

■ean^-ni-bal, n. One who eats human 
flesh. 

^hap'-er-on, n. One who attends a 
lady in public places as a guide and 
protector. 

^it'-i-zen, n. An inhabitant'of a city, 
state or country. 


■eSl'-league, n. A partner or associate 
in some civil office. 

■eOl-le-et'-or, n. An officer appointed 
and commissioned to receive taxes, 
duties, tolls or customs. 

■cdn-iiois-seiir' (kon-ms-shr'), n. One 
well versed in any subject. 

€:o-tem'-po-ra-ry, n. One who lives at 
the same time as another. 

•doug'-iii (kuz'-n), n. The child of an 
uncle or aunt. 

de-p6§M-tor, n. One who deposits, 
dep'-u-tj^, n. An assistant empowered 
to act in the officer’s name, 
ep'-i-eure, n. One who indulges in the 
luxuries of the table, 
fa-nat'-i-e, n. One extravagant in 
opinion. 

fii'-gi-tive, n. One who flees from 
danger. 


LESSON 142. 

Karnes Applied to Persons. 

‘ Some murmur when their sky is clear and wholly bright to view, 
If one small speck of dark appear in their great heaven of blue ; 
And some with thankful love are filled if but one streak of light — 
One ray of God’s good mercy — gild the darkness of the night.” 


f un-C^-tion-a-ry, n. One who holds an 
office. 

g^p'-sy, n. One of a vagabond race, 
of a roving disposition; a dark-col¬ 
ored person. 


her'-mit, n. A recluse; one who retires 
from society and lives in solitude. 
Ig-iio-ra'-mus, n. An ignorant person, 
in-eura'-bent, n. The person in present 
possession of an office. 







BUSINESS SERIES. 


TS 


in-di-Yid'-u-al, n. A person, 
in-liab'-it-ant, n. One who has a legal 
settlement in a town, city or parish.' 
iR'-sti-ga-tor, n. One who incites, 
men^-ial, n. A servant, 
mer'-chant, n. One who buys goods 
to sell again. 

in§s'-seii-ger, «. One who bears a 
message or an errand, 
mi'-ger, n. An extremely covetous 
and stingy juerson. 

no-vi'-ti-ate (-shi-ate), «. One who is 
going through a period of probation. 


op-po'-nent, One who opposes; 
an adversary. 

peo'-ple, n. The population, or part 
of It. 

re-gip'-i-ent, n. One who receives. 

reg'-i-dent, n. One who resides or 
dwells in a place for some time. 

shirk, «. One who seeks to avoid 
duty. 

suh'-sti-tute, n. One who or that 

which is put in place of another. 

trans-gress'-or, n. One who violates 
any known principle of rectitude. 


LESSON 143. 

NAXIOJiJS. 

National progress is the sum of individual industry, energy and uprightness, as national decay 
is of individual idleness, selfishness and vice.— Safnuel Smiles. 


iLf' ri-€aii, n. A native of Africa. 

A-m^r'-i-ean, n. A native of America. 

Bed'-gii-ln, n. One of the tribe of no¬ 
madic Arabs, who live in tents. 

•Cau-ea'-sian, «. Any one belonging 
to the Indo-European race, and the 
white races originating near Mt. 
Caucasus. 

E-gyp'-tiaii, n. A native or naturalized 
inhabitant of Egypt. 

Es'-qui*mau or Es'-ki-md, n. An in¬ 
habitant of arctic America and Green¬ 
land. 

Eu-ro-pe'-an, n. An inhabitant of 
Europe. 

^rSn'-tile, n. The nations at large as 
distinguished from the Jews. 


Sre'-cian (-shaii), n. • A native of 
Greece; a Greek. 

He'-hrew (-brp), «. An Israelhe; a 
Jew. 

Hm'-ddb, n. A native of Hindostan. 
In'-dian (md'-yan), n. One of the 
aboriginal inhabitants of America. 
I-tal'-ian (-yau), n. A native of Italy. 
Jap-a-nege', n. A native of Japan, or 
the people of that country. 
Lap'-land-er, n. A native of Lapland. 
Mon-goMi-an, n. A native of Mon¬ 
golia. 

N6r-we'-gi-an, n. A native of Norway. 
Por'-tu-guege, n. An inhabitant of 
Portugal. 

Rus'-sian (rush'-au or rij'-shaii), n. A 

native of Russia. 

Si-be'-ri-an, n. A native of Siberia. 


LESSON 144. 

DICXACTION :exkrcisk. 

Breathes there a man, with soul so dead. 
Who never to himself hath said, 

“ This is my own, my native land! ” 
Whose heart hath ne’er within him burn’d, 
As home his footsteps’he hath turn’d. 

From wandering on a foreign strand! 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 




If such there breathe, go, mark him well. 

For him no minstrel raptures swell; 

High though his titles, proud his name. 
Boundless his wealth as wish can claim; 

Despite those titles, power, and pelf. 

The wretch, concentred all in self. 

Living, shall forfeit fair renown. 

And, doubly dying, shall go down 
To the vile dust, from whence he sprung. 
Unwept, unhonor’d and unsung.— Walter Scott. 


LESSON 145. 

IIOMOPllOIt^OUS WORDS. 

Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small; 

Though with patience he stands waiting, with exactness grinds he all.— Longfellow. 


pause, V. i. To cease for a time. 

paw§, n. pi. Feet of an animal. 

ped'-al, n. A lever or key acted on by 
the feet; a treadle. 

ped'-dle, v. t. To sell from house to 
house. 

plum, n. A small fruit. 

plumb, a. Perpendicular. 

pole, n. A long, round piece of wood. 

poll, n. A head; a place for voting. 

pore, «. A small opening; {v. i.) \.o 
study. 

pour, V. t. To send forth. 


pray, v. i. To beseech, 
prey, n. Booty; plunder. 

prin'-^i-pal, a. Chief. 
prin'-Qi-ple, n. A rule of action; a 
fundamental truth. 

pr5f'-it, n. Gain; valuable results, 
prdph'-et, n. A religious teacher; one 
who foretells events. 

quarts, n. pi. Plural o' -^uart. the 
fourth part of a gallon, 
quartz, n. A mineral. 

ralge, v. t. To lift up. 
rays, Lines of light. 


LESSON 146. 

PKRXAINING TO MANiNHRS. 

What a rare gift is that of manners ! Better for one to possess them than wealth, beauty or 
talent; they will more than supply all.—Bulwer Lytton. 


a-bu'-siye, a. Offering harsh words 
and ill treatment. 

af'-fa-ble, a. Easy of manners or 
conversation. 

a''-mi-a-ble, a. Worthy of love. 

ar^-ro-gan^0, r-. Proud contempt for 
others. 

awk'-ward, a. Clumsy; ungraceful in 
manner. 


be-hay'-ior (-yur),' n. Manner of con¬ 
ducting one’s self, 
brag'-gart, n. A boastful person, 
blun' der-er, n. A careless person. 
€a-prF-cious (-prish'-us), a. Whim¬ 
sical. 

■eare'-ful-iiess, n. Heedfulness, 
■eare'-less, a. Heedless. 





80 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


€au'-tious ( shus), a. Careful to avoid 
danger or misfortune. 
«dm-pla'-§en-Qy, n. Satisfaction. 
€dm-po'-§ure, n. Calmness; tran¬ 
quillity. 

€dn-de-S§eiid', v. i. To relinquish dig¬ 
nity of character. 

■edn-fl-den'-tial,i3!. Secret; trustworthy. 


«5ii-gef-iii-al, a. Sympathetic; of the 
same nature. 

4'6n-s^i-en'-tious (-shi-6n'-shus), a. In¬ 
fluenced by the moral sentiment. 

■eon-tempt', n. Disdain. 

-cor'-dial, a. Sincere; heartfelt; warm; 
affectionate. 


LESSON 147. 

Pertainlnsr to ]»Ianners. 

Many young persons believe themselves natural when they are only impolite and coarse.— 
Rouchefoucauld. 


€0ur'-te-sy, n. Politeness or manners. 
€6v'-et-ous, a. Eager to obtain, 
■eow'-ard-l^e, n. Timidity; fear, 
•erit'-l-e-al, a. Severe in judging; in¬ 
clined to find fault. 

€riide'Ty, adv. In an immature or 
hasty manner; rudely. 
de-«o'-rous or de€'-o-rous, a. Proper, 
de-ed'-rum, n. Propriety of manner 
or conduct. 

def-er-en'-tial (-shal), a. Accustomed 
to yield to others. 

de-lib'-er-ate, a. Not sudden or rash. 
des'-uTto-ry, a. Immethodical; dis¬ 
connectedly. 


dif'-fl-dent, a. Timid; distrustful, 
di^-ni-ty, n. Manners suited to in¬ 
spire respect. 

doubt'-ful (dout '-)5 Hesitating; un¬ 
determined. 

du'-bi-ous, a. Unsettled or doubtful, 
ea'-ger, a. Keenly desirous, 
ear'-nest, a. Ardent in pursuit of an 
object. 

e-e-Qen'-tri-e, a. Odd; erratic, 
em-bar'-rass, v. t. To confuse; to 
disconcert. 

et'i-quette (et'-i-ket), «. Conven¬ 
tional decorum. 

fa-mil'-iar (-yar), a. Not formal; un¬ 
ceremonious. 


LESSON 148. 

Pertaining: to Manners. 

“ Unbecoming forwardness oftener proceeds from ignorance than impudence.” 


f as'-^i-nate, v. t. To charm; to cap¬ 
tivate. 

fas-tid'-i-ous, a. Difficult to please, 
fe-ro'-cious, a. Fierce; savage, 
f i-deF i-ty, Loyalty. 

fler§e'-ness, n. Fury; violence, 
flip'-pan-^y, n. Pertness; petulancy. 
for'-^i-ble, a. Powerful; impressive. 
for-maF-i-ty, n. Habitual mode, 
fret'-fnl, a. Peevish; irritable, 
friy'-o-lous, a. Given to trifling, 
ge'-ni-al, a. Sympathetically cheer¬ 
ful; jovial. 

gen-teeF, a. Polite; well-bred. 


gra'-cions (-shus), a. Merciful; kind 
to the poor. 

haugh'-ty (haw'-), a. Disdainful. 
he§-i-ta'-tion, n. Doubt; vacillation. 
id-i-o-syii'-€ra-sy, n, A characteristic 
of an individual. 

im-par'-tial, «. Not favoring one more 
than another. 

im-pa'-tieuce (-shens), n. Violence of 
temper. 

im-per'-ti-nent, a. Rude in behavior, 
im-pet'-u-ous, a. Vehement in feeling 
or action. 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


81 


LESSON 149. 


Pertaiuins: to IMranners. 


Intelligence and courtesy not always are combined ; 

Often in a wooden house a golden room we Longfellow. 


Im-pro-prP-e-ty, n. An unsuitable act 
or expression. 

im'-pu-dent, a. Bold, with contempt 
for others. 

im-puF-sive, a. Acting suddenly; 
hasty inclination. 

nSg'-li-gen^e, n. Heedlessness. 

nery'-ous, a. Easily agitated. 

6f-fr-cious (-fish'-us), a. Meddlesome. 

6p-press'-ive, a. Overpowering; un¬ 
justly severe. 

par-ti-e'-u-lar, a. Hard to suit; pre¬ 
cise. 

pSt'-u-lan-§y, n. Peevishness; freak¬ 
ish passion. 

po-lite'-ness, n. Elegance of manners. 


p5mp'-ou§', a. Boastful, 
pre-^ip'-i-tate, v. t. To hurry rashly. 

pre-^i'-^ion (-sizh'-un), n. The quality 
of being precise; exactness. 

pre-co'-cious (-shiis), a. Too forward. 

pre-gfimp'-tu-ous, a. Over-confident; 
going beyond bounds of modesty. 

pre-ten'-tious (-shus), a. To lay claim 
to more than one’s due. 


prdmpt, a. 

pertormed. 

pfig-na'-cious ( shus), a. 

fight. 

pii-sil-lan'-i-moiis, a. Cowardly, 
quaint'-ness, «. Oddness. 


Quickly or cheerfully 

Disposed to 


LESSON 150. 

Pertaining: to Manners. 

“There is policy in manner. I have heard one not inexperienced in the pursuit of fame, gfive 
it his earnest support, as being the surest passport to absolute and brilliant success.” 


quSr'-u-lofts, a. Quarrelsome, 
ques'-tion-a-ble, a. Doubtful; suspi¬ 
cious. 

re-ltt^'-tan-tjy, n. Unwillingness. 
rSt'-i-Qent, a- Reserved. 
sau'-<ji-ness, n. Impudence, 
s-crq'-pu-lous, a. Careful; doubtful, 
se-reue'-ly, adv. Calmly. 
slm-pll§'-i-ty, n. Artlessness of mind, 
sm-g^r'-i ty, n. Honesty of mind, 
smirk, n. An affected smile, 
ti-mid'-i-ty, n. Shyness; fearfulness; 
faint-heartedness. 


tran'-quil-ly, adv. Peacefully; quietly; 
calmly. 

trep-i-da'-tion, n. Involuntary trem¬ 
bling, caused usually by terror or fear, 
triv'-i-al-ly, adv. In a trifling manner, 
un-eouth', a. Awkward; odd. 
hr-han'-i-ty, n. Politeness; refine¬ 
ment. 

yan'-i-ty, Idle show; pride, 
yi-ya'-cious, a. Lively; active, 
whim'-gi-eial, a. Full of whims. 
zeaF-ous, a. Ardent in behalf of an 
object. 


LESSON 151. 




There is certainly something of exquisite kindness and thoughtful benevolence in that rarest 


•if gifts — fine breeding.— Bulwer Lytton. 

an'-^es-try, n. A series of ancestors; 
lineage. 

an'-cient (-shSnt), a. Old. 


an-tiq'-ui-ty (-tik'-wi-), n. Ancient 
times. 

a-ris'-to-erat or ar'-is-to-erat, n, A 
proud gr haughty person. 








82 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


ar-is-td-e'-ra-^y, n. The nobility or 
chief persons in a state, 
de-scend'-ant, n. One who descends, 
as offspring. 

fore'-fa-ther, n. An ancestor. 
gen-e-aF-o-gy, n. A pedigree, 
gen'-try, n. Rank by birth. 

Im'-e-age, n. Race; descent. 
no-Wr-i-ty, «• Noble birth, 
par'-ve-nii, n. One newly risen into 
notice. 


pa-trF-cian (-trish'-an), n. One of 

noble birth. 

ped'-i-gree, n. Line of ancestors. 

ple-be'-iaii (-yan), n. One of the com 
mon people. 

p6p'-u-la§e, n. The common people. 
po-§r-tioii, n. Social rank. 
pred-e-Qes'-sor, n. One who pre¬ 
cedes in office. 

roy^-al-ty, n. The state of being regai 
or royal. 

yeo'-man, n. A plebeian of the most 
respectable class. 


LESSON 152. 

DICXAXION HXBRCISH. 

Who are the nobles of the earth, the true aristocrats 

Who need not bow their heads to lords, nor doff to kings their hats ? 

Who are they but the men of toil, the mighty and the free. 

Whose hearts and hands subdue the earth, and compass all the sea ? 

Who are they but the men of toil, who cleave the forest down. 

And plant, amid the wilderness, the hamlet or the town,— 

Who fight the battles, bear the scars, and give the world its crown 
Of name, and fame, and history, and pomp of old renown ? 

These claim no gaud of heraldry, and scorn the knighting rod; 

Their coats of arms are noble deeds, their peerage is from God! 

They take not from ancestral graves the glory of their name. 

But win, as once their fathers won, the laurel wreath of fame.— Stewart. 


LESSON 153. 

MISCHI^I^ANKOUS. 

A man should never be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong, which is but saying in 
other words that he is wiser today than yesterday.— Pope. 


read'-i-ly, adv. Without delay or ob¬ 
jection. 

re-§ep'-ta-ele, n. A receiver or holder. 
re-eoiF, v. i. To take a reverse motion. 
re«-oii-<2il-I-a'-tion, n. Renewal of 
friendship. 

re-du'-§i-ble, a. That can be reduced. 

re'-gi6ii, n. Vicinity. 

re-lapse', v. i. To fall back; to return. 


re-lief n. The removal of anything 
oppressive or burdensome, 
re-lin'-quish, v. t. To withdraw from, 
re-ly', v. i. To depend upon, 
re-me'-di-a-ble, a. Capable of being 
remedied or cured. 

ren'-dez-vQus (-de-vdb), n. A place 
appointed for meeting. 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


83 


re-new'-al (-nu'-), n. The act of com¬ 
mencing again. 

re-pairs To restore to a sound 
or good state. 

rop'-a-ra-ble, a. That can be repaired, 
re-pii'-di-ate, v. i. To have nothing 
to do with. 


req'-ui-gite (-wi-), n. Something in¬ 
dispensable. 

re-taP-i-ate, v. i. To return like for 
like. 

re-ver'-ber-ate, v. £. To resound, 
rouge (ro<>zh), n. A cosmetic used to 
give a red color. 


LESSON 154. 

rKHLXAINIXG XO XEMPKR. AKO OISPOSIXIOI^. 

In ourselves the sunshine dwells ; 

From ourselves the music swells ; 

By ourselves our life is fed 

With sweet or bitter daily bread.— Goldsmith. 


a-gree'-a-ble, a. Pleasing, 
change'-a-ble, a. Fickle; inconstant, 
edu-tent'-ment, n. Satisfaction; with¬ 
out disquiet. 

dis-po-§F-tion, n. Acquired aptitude 
of temper or character; disposal. 
doQ'-ile, a. Easily managed or taught, 
en-dur'-an^e, Patience; a bearing 
or suffering. 

ex-as'-per-ate, v. t. To enrage; to 
provoke. 

fren'-zy, n. Madness; rage; 
m-di^-naiit, Feeling wrath, 
in-fu'-ri-ate, v. t. To enrage. / 
jeaP-ous-y-, «. Uneasiness from fear 
of rivalry. 


6p'-ti-mist, n. One who thinks every¬ 
thing happens for the best. 

pas'-sion-ate, a. Easily moved to 
anger. 

pes'-si-mist, n. One who thinks every¬ 
thing is for the worst. 
plaQ^-id, a. Serene; tranquil, 
san'-guine, a. Full of hope. 
sus-pF-cious (-pish'-us), a. Apt to 
believe without proof, 
um'-brage, n. Offense, 
world'-li-ness (whrld'-), n. Being fond 
of temporal enjoyments, 
wrath, n. Violent anger. 


LESSON 155. 

UBI^OXIBJG HAXRBO. 

If you hate your enemies, you will contract such a vicious habit of mind as by degrees will 
break out upon those who are your friends, or those who are indifferent to you.— Plutarch. 


ab-li5r'-ren§e, n. Extreme hatred. 
a-bomM-nate, v. t. To hate in the 
highest degree. 

jin-i mos'-i ty, n. Violent hatred. 
Siii-tip'-a-thy, n. Disgust; repugnance, 
a ver'-sion^ n. Dislike, 
des'-pi-ca-ble, a. Worthless; to be 
despised. 

eu'-ml-ty, n. Hatred; ill-will, 
ha'-tred, n. Very great dislike, 
m'-fa-mous, ct. Detestable; base; vile. 
Idath'-s6me, a. ^ Exciting disgust or 
hatred. 


ma-lev'-o len^e, n. Evil disposition 
toward another. 

ma-li'-cioiis (-lisli'-us), a. Proceeding 
from hatred or ill-will. 


db-nox'-ious, a. Odious; hateful, 
d'-di-oiis, a. Deserving hatred. 
raii'-€Or, n. Inveterate hatred, 
re-pug'-iian^e, n. Aversion; dislike 
re-venge'-ful, a. Vindictive, 
ve'-he-ment, a. Furious; violent, 
venge'-aiige, n. Retribution. 
trgu'-om-OUS, ct> Malignant; spiteful. 







84 


BUSINESS SERIES. 



LESSON 156. 


DicxAxio^ kxe:rcisk. 

Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering 
wrongs. We are, and must be, one and all, burdened with faults in this world, 
but the time will come when, I trust, we shall put them off in putting off our cor¬ 
ruptible bodies; when debasement and sin will fall from us with this cumbrous 
frame of flesh. It is a creed in which I delight, to which I cling. It makes eternity 
a rest, a home — not a terror and an abyss. With this creed, revenge never wor¬ 
ries my heart, degradation never too deeply disgusts me, injustice never crushes 
me too low; I live in calm, looking to the end.— Charlotte Bronti. 


LESSON 157. 

XO INXHMRBRABJCB. 

“ I dare not drink for my own sake ; 

I ought not to drink for my neig'.bor’s sake.” 


a%'-sti-lien§e, n. Voluntary refraining 
from indulging the appetite, as for 
strong drink. 

ar-€0-hol, n. Pure or highly rectified 
spirits. 

dis-tilF-er-y, n. A building and works 
where distilling is carried on. 

drunk'-ard, n. One who habitually 
drinks to excess. 

lia-Mt'-u-al, a. Acquired by habit. 

In-e'-bri-ate, n. An habitual drunkard. 

iu-tem'-per-aiige, n. Habitual in¬ 
dulgence in drinking spirituous 
liquors. 

liq'-udr (lik'-ur), n. Any alcoholic 
fluid, either distilled or fermented. 

m5d-er-a'-tioii, n. Freedom from 
excess. 


ref-or-ma'-tion, n. Change from 
worse to better. 

re-mou'-stran^e, n. Act of urging 
against. 

re§-o-lu'-tion, n Firmness in opinion, 
act or thought. 

re'-tro-grade or ret'-ro-grade, v. i. 

Declining from better to worse, 
sa-ldoii', n. A place where liquors are 
sold in small quantities, 
so-bri'-e-ty, n. Habitual soberness, 
tee-to'-tal-er, n. One pledged to en¬ 
tire abstinence from intoxicating 
drinks. 

tem'-per-an^e, n. Moderation, 
tem'-per-ate, a. Not excessive, 
tempt, V. t. To try to persuade, 
wliis'-key or wMs'-ky, n. A spirit 
distilled from grain. 


LESSON 158. 

WORDS DKl«OXII»iG KIIVDI«(KSS. 

How far that little candle throws its beams ! 


So shines a good deed m a 

a-e-€dm'-mo-date, v. t. To supply with 
something desired, 
as-sist'-ance, n. Help; aid. 
be-nev'-o-len^e, n. Disposition to do 
good. 


naughty world. — Shakespeare. 

be-ni^-nant, a. Kind, 
boun'-te-ous, a. Disposed to give freely, 
cbar'-i-ty, n. Liberality to the poor. 
■e6n-<jerii% n. Solicitude; interest in 
or care for any person or thing. 





SPEI.UNG AND DEFINING. 


85 


€5n-d5Meii5e, n. Expression of s)rm- 
pathy for another. 

«6ii-grat'-u-late, v. /. Expressing 
sympathetic joy. 

«5n-sid'-ei:-ate, a. Careful of the 
rights and feelings of others. 

«6ii-sole% V. t. To comfort; to soothe. 

gen'-er-ous, a. Free to give. 

gra-tu'-i-ty, n. Something given freely. 


hn-mdneS Kind; benevolent, 
lib'-er-al, a. Generous; open-hearted, 
mag-nan^-i-mods, a. Not selfish. 
mer'-§i-fnl, a. Tender; not cruel, 
phi-lan'-thro-py, n. Universal good 
will. 

sa-e'-ri-f ice (-fiz), v. t. To devote or 
give up with loss or suffering, 
s^m'-pa-thy, n. Fellow feeling. 


LESSON 159. 

DICTrAXlOKJ HXKRCISH. 

My heart was heavy, for its trust had been 

Abused, its kindness answered with foul wrong; 

So, turning gloomily from my fellow men. 

One summer Sabbath-day I strolled among 
The green mounds of the village burial place, 

Where, pondering how all human love and hate 
Find one sad level, and how, soon or late. 

Wronged and wrong-doer, each with meekened face. 

And cold hands folded over a still heart. 

Pass the green threshold of our common grave. 

Whither all footsteps tend, whence none depart — 

Awed for myself, and pitying my race. 

One common sorrow like a mighty wave 

Swept all my pride away, and trembling, I forgave.— IV/uitter. 


LESSON 160. 

HOiaOPHOXOUS WORDS. 

On this side, and on that, men se.e their friends 
Drop off, like leaves in autumn ; yet launch out 
Into fantastic schemes, which the long-livers 
In the world’s hale and undegenerate days 
Could scarce have leisure lor.—Blair. 


rain, n. Water falling in drops from 
the atmosphere, 
reign, v. i. To rule, 
rein, n. A check. 

reed, n. A hollow stalk, 
read, v. t. To peruse. 

rest, n. Freedom from everything 
which wearies. 

wrSst, V. t. To take from by force. 

riQe, n. A kind of grain grown in 
warm climates, and used for food, 
rise (ris), n. An ascent; that which 
rises or seems to rise. 


right, a. Just; not wrong; true, 
rite, n. A ceremony, 
wright, n. An artisan, 
write, V. t. To express ideas by let¬ 
ters or characters. 

road, n. A public highway, 
rode, V. i. Past of ride. 
rowed, v. t. Past of row. 

role, n. A part played, 
roll, n. A list. V. To revolve. 

rye, n. Grain used for food, 
wry, a. Distorted. 





86 


MUblNESS SBKlEii. 


LESSON 161. 

CONVER-SAXION. 

As it is a characteristic of great wits to say much in few words, so it is of small wits to talk 
much and say nothing.— Rochefoucauld. 


a-dieu% n. A farewell. 
al-lude% V. i. To refer to; to have 
reference. 

al-lu'-gion, n. A hint, 
al-ter-ea'-tion, n. Dispute carried on 
with heat or anger. 
a-p61'-o-gy, n. An excuse, 
ar'-gue, v. t. To persuade by reasoning, 
bad'-i-nage (bad'-in-azh), n. Light 
or playful discourse, 
ban'-ter, v. t. To joke or jest with, 
brev'-i-ty, n. Contraction into few 
words; conciseness. 

Qen'-sure, v. t. To find fault with. 
€6r-lo-quy, n. Discourse between two 
or more persons. 


«6m-mune', v. i. To converse together 
familiarly. 

■eom-plaint', n. Fault-finding. 

€6ii-§ise', a. Expressing much in few 
words. 

^on'-fer-enge, n. A consultation. 

^on-ten'-tiou, n. Strife in debate; 
controversy. 

■e6ii-tra-di«t^ v. i. To oppose in words. 

€!on'-tro-ver-sy, n. Discussion; dis¬ 
pute. 

■eon-ver-sa'-tion, n. Familiar discourse. 

de-bate% v. t. To contend for in words 
or argument. 


LESSON 162. 

Conversation. 

The first ingredient in conversation is truth, next good sense, third good humor, and the 
fourth wit.— Sir IV. Temple. 


de€-la-ra'-tion, n. Formal expression; 

public announcement, 
de-ni'-al, n. A contradiction, 
de-noun^e', v. t. To inform against. 
dF-a-15gue, n. A conversation between 
two or more persons, 
dis-cus'-sion, n. Examination by ar¬ 
gument. 

dis-pute% n. Verbal controversy, 
ex-ag'-ger-ate, v. t. To enlarge be¬ 
yond bounds. 

Sx-pU^'-it, CL. Plain in language. 
Sx-p6s'-tu-late, V. i. To remonstrate, 
gab'-ble, v. i. To talk without mean¬ 
ing. 


gar'-rq-lous, a. Very talkative, 
in-sm'-n-ate, v. t. To hint; to intro¬ 

duce artfully. 

lan'-guage, n. Human speech. 
Im'-gmst, n. A master of language, 
lo-qua'-cious (-shfts), a. Talkative, 
mur'-mur, v. i. To utter sullen discon¬ 
tent ; to make a low, continued noise, 
nar-ra'-tion, n. Telling the particu¬ 
lars of an event. 

pre-var'-i-eate, v. i. To evade telling 
the truth. 

pshgw (shaw), interj. An exclamation 
to denote disdain. 
raiF-ler-jj n. Jesting language. 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


87 


LESSON 163. 

Conversation. 

“ Tt is not only difficult to say the right thing in the right place, but, far more difficult still, 
to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.” 


re-€a-pit'-u-late, v. i. To relate in 
brief. 

re-^it'-al, n. A narration; that which 
is recited. 

re-eoniit', v. /. To tell the particulars 
of. 

re-late', v. t. To tell over, 
rep-ar-tee', n. A smart and witty 
reply. 

rep-e-ti'-tion, n. Doing or uttering a 
second time. 

rji'-mor, n. A current story passing 
from one person to another without 
any authority for it. 
sal-u-ta'-tioii, n. Greeting. 
sar'-ca§m, n. A taunt; a cutting jest, 
sa-tir'-ic-al-ly, adv. With severity of 
remark. 


sere am, v. i. To cry out with a shrill 
voice. 

shriek, v. i. To utter sharply and 
shrilly. 

smo?>tii'-ness, n. Easy flow of words; 

{a.) evenness of surface, 
so-lil'-o-qiiy, n. A talking to one’s self, 
siig-ges'-tion (-yun), n. A hint; an 
intimation. 

ut'-ter-ange, n. Vocal expression, 
vague'-ly, adv. Unfixedly; in a vague 
manner. 

ver'-bal, a. Spoken in words. 
wit'-ti-^i§m, n. A witty sentence or 
phrase. 

wel'-e6me, v. t. To salute with kind¬ 
ness. 


LESSON 164. 

DICXATTIOBJ HXE:RCISB. 

Never shall thy spoken word be again unsaid, unheard; 

Well their work thy lips have wrought, joy or grief or evil thought; 
Though it pierce a poisoned spear through the soul thou boldest dear, 
Though it quiver, fierce and deep, through some stainless spirit’s sleep. 
Once for all the rune is read, once for all the judgment said; 

Offer life and soul and all that one sentence to recall, 

Rue it all thy lingering days, hide it deep with love and praise, 

All thy travail is in vain, spoken words come not again .—Christian Union. 


LESSON 165. 

Fasten your souls so high, that constantly 
The smile of your heroic cheer may float 
Above all floods of earthly agonies. 

Purification being the joy of pain.—£■. B. Browning. 


safe'-ty, n. Free from hurt, injury or 
loss. 

sa-lu'-bri-ous, a. Healthful, 
scourge (skfirj), v. t. To whip severely. 


s-crij'-ti-nize, v. t. To search closely, 
search'-a-ble, a. That can be searched, 
se-e'-ond-a-ry, a. Subordinate, 
se'-ere-^y, n. Privacy. 







BUSINESS SERIES. 


S8 


sed'-i-ment, n. Settlings. 
sSs'-sion, n. The actual assembly of 
members of any body, 
shield, V. f. To protect. 
slg-nif'-i-€aiit, a. Standing as a sign 
or token. 

si'-len^e, n. Absolute stillness, 
slfi'-gu-lar, a. Odd; being alone, 
si'-phon, n. A bent tube or pipe. 


sit-n-a'-tion, n. Position, 
slip'-per-y, a. Smooth; unstable, 
sloufjli (slou), n. A hole full of mire, 
so-bri-quet' (so-bre-ka')? A nick- 
name. 

sol'-u-ble, a. That can be dissolved. 
SQU-ve-nir', n. That which serves as 
a reminder; a keepsake. 


LESSON 166. 

WORDS DEl*JOXIJ«G RRAISH. 


His words are bonds, his oaths are oracles ; 

His love sincere, his thoughts immaculate, 

His tears pure messengers sent from the heart; 

His heart as far from fraud as heaven from earth.— Shakespeare. 


ad'-mi-ra-ble, d. Worthy of admira¬ 
tion. 

ad-mire', v. t. To regard with love or 
esteem. 

a-dor'-a-ble, a. Worthy of adoration. 

beaii'-ti-fql, a. Having the qualities 
which constitute beauty, 
bril'-liant (bril'-yant), a. Distin¬ 
guished by qualities which excite 
admiration. 

■eom-rnSn-da'-tion, n. Praise. 

•edm'-pa-ra-ble, a. Worthy of com¬ 
parison. 

■Cdm'-pli ment, n. Delicate flattery; 
praise. 

«rSd'-it-a-bly, adv. With credit; with¬ 
out disgrace. 


de-§ir'-a-ble, a. Worthy of desire, or 
longing. 

e'-go-tist, n. One who speaks much of 
himself, or magnifles his own achieve¬ 
ments. 

e-lab'-o-rate, a. Finished with great 
care. 

em'-i-nen^e, n. Exaltation; distinct 
tion. 


en-€o'-mi-um, n. Formal praise, 
es'-ti-ma-ble, a. Worthy of regard, 
eu'-lo-gize, v. t. To praise, 
ex' Qel-lent, a. Very good, 
ex'-em-pla-ry, a. Serving as a pat- 
ern; commendable, 
ex'-qm-gite, a. Exceedingly nice, 
ex-tol', V, /. To eulogize. 


LESSON 167. 


Words Denotlns; Praise. 

I^arge was his bounty, and his soul sincere. 

Heaven did a recompense as largely send ; 

He gave to Misery all he had ~ a tear; 

He gained from Heaven (’twas all he wished)—a friend.— Grey. 


fa'-mous, CL. Renowned. 

fault'-less, a. Perfect. 

fa'-vor-ite, a. Especial esteem or 

preference. 


flat'-ter-y, n. False praise. 
gen'-u-Iue, fi. Real; natural, 
gor'-geous (-jus), a. Magnificent, 
gran'-deur, n. Splendor of appearance. 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


89 


h6n'-or-a-ble (5n'-nr-), a. Worthy of 
being esteemed. 

il-lus'-tri-ous, a. Renowned; brilliant, 
im-ma-e'-u-late, a. Without blemish. 
iii-c5m'-pa-ra-ble, a. Without equal, 
land, , V. t. To praise. 

In'-mi-nous, a. Shining. 

Ins'-tre or lus'-ter, n. Splendor; 
brightness. 


mag-nlf a. On a grand scale; 
splendid. 

ma-jes^-ti€, a. Of august dignity, state¬ 
liness or imposing g^randeur. 
mar'-tyr, n. One who makes a great 
sacrifice for the sake of principle, 
mer-i to'-ri-ous, a. Worthy of honor, 
iiot'-a-ble, a. Worthy of notice; re¬ 
markable. 

par'-a-g5n, n. A model of excellence. 


LESSON 168. 

Words Denoting Praise. 

He was the soul of goodness, 

And all our praises of him are like streams 
Drawn from a spring, that still rise full, and leave 
The part remaining, Shakespeare. 


per-fec'-tioil, n. Ideal faultlessness; 
completeness. 

prai§e, n. Approval of merit. 

pre'-cious (presli'-us), a. Of great 
value. 

pu^-ri-ty, n. Innocence; cleanness. 

qum-tes'-sen§e, n. Pure or concen¬ 
trated essence. 

ra'-di-ant, a. Beaming with brightness. 

re-mark'-a-ble, a. Uncommon; no¬ 
ticeable. 

ster'-ling, a. Genuine; of excellent 
quality. 

snb-lim'-i-ty, n. The state of being 
sublime; eminence; grandeur. 


sub-stan'-tial, a. Strong; stable. 
Sii-perb', a. Grand; elegant, 
sii-pe-ri-dr'-i-ty, n. More excellent 
than another in any respect, 
tran-sgend'-ent, a- Very excellent, 
trust'-wor-tlif (-wur-), a. Worthy of 
confidence; trusty. 

ven'-er-a-ble, a. Worthy of reverence, 
ve-ra'-ciofts, a. Truthful. 

Yig'-i-lant, a. Watchful; circumspect. 
Vir'-tu-ons, a. Blameless; good. 
w6n'-drous, a. Admirable; astonish¬ 
ing, 

wor'-thf (wfir-), a. Possessing merit. 


LESSON 169. 

DICXAXIO:^ BXERCISE. 

True to the promise of thy far-off youth, 

When all who loved thee, for thee prophesied 
A grand, full life, devoted to the truth, 

A noble cause by suffering sanctified. 

True to all beauties of the poet thought 
Which made thy youth so eloquent and sweet; 

True to all duties which thy manhood brought 
To take the room of fancies light and fleet; 

True to the steadfast walk and narrow way. 

Which thy forefathers of the covenant trodi 
True to thy friend in foul or sunny day, 

True to thy home, thy country and thy God! — All the Year Round. 






90 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 170. 

HO:»IOPHOP(OlJS WORDS. 

Better trust all and be deceived, 

And weep that trust and that deceiving, 

Than doubt one heart that, if believed. 

Had blessed one’s life with true believing .—Frances A. Kemble. 


rood, n. The fourth of an acre. 

r||de, a. Uncivil. 

sail, V. i. To move on the water by 
means of sails. 

sale, n. The transfer of property for 
money. 

seam, n. Two edges joined. 

seem, v. i. To appear. 

sea, n. A large body of water. 

see, V. t. To perceive. 

serf, n. A slave. 

surf, n. The swell of the sea which 
breaks upon the shore. 


serge, n. A coarse cloth. 

sfirge, V. i. To rise high and roll, as 
waves. 

sew (so), V. t. To fasten together with 
needle and thread. 

sow, V. i. To scatter. 

sighg, n. Heavy breathing. 

size, n. Bulk; magnitude. 

skull, n. The bones of the head and 
face. 

s-eull, n. A small, narrow boat. 

sole, n. The bottom of the foot; (<z.) 
only. 

soul, n. The spiritual part of man. 


LESSON 171. 

PERTTAIKIING XO 

Religion is the best armoi in the world, but the worst cloak.— Bunyan. 


ben-e-di-e'-tion, n. The short prayer 
which closes public worship. 

blas-pheme% v. i. To speak with ir¬ 
reverence of God. 

•ea-the'-dral, n. The head church in 
a diocese. 

■Cath'-o-li-e, n. An adherent of the 
Roman Catholic church. 

■ehris'-ten (kris'-n), v. t. To give a 
name and baptize. 

€hris'-tlau (krist'-yan), n. One who 
believes, or is assumed to believe, in 
the religion of Christ. 

«5m-mu'-ui"eant, n. A church mem¬ 
ber. 

€dB-gre-ga'-tlon, n. An assembly of 
people for the worship of God. 

«dll'-se-erate, v. t. To appropriate to 
sacred use. 


■ere-a'-tlon, n. The act of bringing 
into existence. 

€re-a'-tor, n. The supreme being. 
«rii-Qi-fix'-lon (-fix'-shun), n. The 
Savior’s death upon the cross, 
de-c'-a-logue, n. The ten command¬ 
ments. 

ded'-l-eate, v. t. To set apart and 
consecrate. 

des'-e-erate, v. t. To divert from a 
sacred purpose. 

dSy-o-tee^, n. One wholly gjiven to 
religion. 

di'-o-^ese, n. The district under a 
bishop’s care, 
dis-^r-ple, «. A follower. 
d5x-dr-o-gy» n. A hymn of praise, 
e-the'-re-al, a. Celestial. 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


91 


LESSON 172. 

Pertalnlus: to Rellsrlon. 


Never trust anybody not of sound religfion, 
man .—Lord Burleigh. 

e-van'-gel-ist, n. One authorized to 
preach, but who has no special charge. 
6en'- e-SiS, n. The first book in the 
Bible; formation. 

hjf-p5c'-ri-sy, n. A feigning to be 
what one is not; pretense, 
im'-pi-ous, a. Not pious; wanting in 
veneration for God and His authority, 
in'-fl-del, n. One who does not believe 
in Christ, 

min'-is-ter, n. The pastor of a church, 
mis'-sion-a-ry (mish'-uii-), n. One who 
is sent to spread religion, 
mon'-as-ter-y, n. A house of religious 
retirement for monks. 

6r'-tho-d5x, a. Sound in the Christian 
faith. 

prayer (prar), n. An earnest suppli¬ 
cation to God. 


he that is false to God can never be true to 

Preg-by-te'-ri-an, n. One who belongs 
to a church governed by pres¬ 
byters. 

priest, n. One who performs the rites 
of sacrifice. 

Prot'-es-tant, n. A Christian who 
protests against the doctrines of the 
Church of Rome. 

prov-i-den'-tial, a. Proceeding from 
divine providence. 

psalm'-ist (sam-), n. A writer of 

sacred songs. 

re-li'-gious, a. Pious; godly. 

re-peut'-an^e, n. Sorrow for what 
one has done or omitted to do. 

rev'-er-en^e, n. Veneration; a title 
applied to priests and ministers. 

S€irip'-ture, n. The Bible. 

sol'-emn, a. Serious; sacred 


for 


LESSON 173. 

OICXATIOI^ HXBRCISK. 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in 
green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters. 

He restoreth my soul; he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his 
name’s sake. 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no 
evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou 
anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I 
will dwell in the house of the Lord Twenty-third Psalm. 





92 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 174. 

OBNOTTII'JG HYSTTBltLY. 

As defect of strength in us makes some weights to be unmovable, so likewise defect of under¬ 
standing makes some truths to be mysterious.— Bishop Sherlock. 


ap-pa-rV-tion, A ghost; a preter¬ 
natural appearance, 
en-chant'-er, n. One who deals in 
spells or sorcery. 

ex-traor'-di-na-ry, a. Uncommon; 
wonderful. 

ghost, n. An apparition; the spirit, 
gob'-lin, n. An evil spirit, 
iii-ex'-pli-ea-ble, a. Cannot be ac¬ 
counted for. 

leg-er-de-main', n. Sleight of hand, 
ma-gi'-cian, n. One skilled in magic, 
mar'-yel-ous, a. Wonderful; aston¬ 
ishing. 

mir'-a-ele, n. A wonder, or wonder¬ 
ful thing. 


mi-ra-e'-ii-lofis, a. Performed super- 
naturally. 

mys-te'-rl-ous, a. Impossible to un¬ 
derstand. 

m|s'-ti-e-al, a. Governed by mysteri¬ 
ous laws. 

m^s'-ti-fy, V. t. To involve a mystery 
so as to mislead. 

5m'-i-nous, a. Containing an omen, 
phe-nom'-e-non, n. An appearance 
whose cause is not immediately ob¬ 
vious. 

proph'-e-^j^, n. A prediction, 
proph'-e-sy, v. t. To predict, 
su-per-nat'-u-ral, a. Miraculous, 
su-per-sti'-tion, n. Fear of that which 
is unknown or mysterious. 


LESSON 175. 

Show me the man you honor ; I know by that symptom better than by any other what kind 
of a man you are yourself ; for you show me what your ideal of manhood is, what kind of a man 
you long to be.— Carlyle. 


Sop-0-rif'-i«, a. Causing sleep, 
spe'-cial, a. Different from others, 
spe^'-i-fy, V. t. To name as a particu¬ 
lar thing. 

spe§'-i-men, n. A sample, 
spig'-ot, n. A pin or peg used to stop 
a hole in a cask. 

splm'-ter, n. A thin piece of wood, or 
other solid substance, rent from the 
main body. 

sp6nge, n. A porous substance capable 
of absorbing a great quantity of water, 
found in Southern waters, 
spon-ta'-ne-ous, a. Voluntary; will¬ 
ing ; proceeding from internal energy, 
spu'-ri-ous, a. Not genuine, 
squeal, I'o cry with a sharp, 

shrill, prolonged sound. 


squirm, v. i. To move with writhing 
or contortions. 

sta-biF-i-ty, n. Firmness; steadiness, 
stag'-ger, v. t. To cause to doubt and 
waver; to shock. 

staiii'-less, a. Free from reproach or 
guilt; free from any stain. 
stam-pede% n. A sudden flight in 
consequence of a panic, 
staucli, V. t. To stop the flowing of; 
to extinguish. 

star'-tle, v. i. To excite by sudden 
surprise; to frighten; to surprise; to 
alarm. 

stead'-i-ness, n. Steadfastness; con¬ 
stancy. 

stealth'-y, a. Secret; done by stealth, 
strength, n. Force; power. 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


98 


LESSON 176. 

I»ER.XAIKJIP<G XO OKAXH. 


When Death, the great reconciler, comes, it 

severity .—George Eliot. 

bur'-i-al (ber'-ri-al), n. Funeral so¬ 
lemnity. 

Qem'-e-ter-y, n. Burial place. 

■edf'-f in, n. The case in which a dead 
body is buried. 

corpse, n. The dead body of a human 
being. 

Cor-ruptM-ble, n. That which may 
decay or perish; the human body. 

ei-e-ma'-tion, n. The burning of the 
dead. 

dirge, n. A funeral hymn. 

ep'-i-taph (-taf ), n. Inscription on a 
monument. 

f u'-ner-al, n. The ceremony of bury¬ 
ing a dead human body. 

Im-mor'-tal, Not mortal; lasting 
forever. 

me-mo'-ri-al, n. Anything intended 
to preserve the memory of a person. 


is not of our kindness we repent, but our 

morgue (m6rg), n. A place where the 
bodies of persons found dead are ex¬ 
posed that they may be claimed by 
their friends. 

mor-taF-i-ty, Subjection to death. 

o-bit'-u-a-ry, n. Notice of the death 
of a person. 

ob'-se-quieg, n. pL Funeral solemni¬ 
ties. 

per-dF-tion, n. Future misery or eter¬ 
nal death. 

pur'-ga-to-ry, n. A place where, it is 
said, after death, one may expiate 
such offenses committed in this life 
as do not merit eternal damnation. 

ser'-apb, n. An angel of the highest 
order. 

spir'-it-u-al, a. Not material; consist¬ 
ing of spirit. 

un-der-tak'-er, n. One who takes 
charge of funerals. 


LESSON 177. 

UICXAXIOJi EXHIt-CISK. 

So live, that when thy summons comes to join 
The innumerable caravan, that moves 
To that mysterious realm, where each shall take 
His chamber in the silent halls of death, 

Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night. 

Scourged to his dungeon, but, sustained and soothed 
By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave, 

Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch 
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams. 

— Wm, Cullen Bryant, 




94 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 178. 

SORROW. 

Hearts, like apples, are hard and sour, 
Till crushed by Pain’s resistless power; 
And yield their juices rich and bland 


To none but Sorrow' 

af-fli-e'-tion, n. A state of pain, dis¬ 
tress, or grief. 

an'-gulsh, Extreme pain. 
d§p'-re-€ate, v. t. To regret deeply, 
des^-o-late, a. Afflicted; left alone, 
des'-per-ate, a. Beyond hope. 
de-sp5iid'-eiitj a. Marked by despair. 
d6s'-ti-tute, a. Without friends or 
comforts. 

dis-ap-poiiit'-ment, n. Defeat of hopes 
or expectations, 
dig-as'-trofis, a. Unfortunate. 
dis-«du'-so-late, a. Without com¬ 
fort. 


s heavy hand.— Holland. 

d5F-or-ofis, a. Sorrowful; full of 
grief. 

griey'-anje, n. Cause of complaint or 
grief. 

hu-mil-i-a'-tion, n. Abasement of 
pride; mortification. 

in-fe-li§'-i-tj, Misery; unhappiness. 

mel'-an-chdl-y, n. Gloomy state of 
mind. 

mig'-er-a-ble, n. Very unhappy. 

mdr-ti-fl-ca'-tion, n. Humiliation • or 
chagrin. 

mourii'-ful, a. Full of sorrow. 

5b-s-eu'-ri-ty, n. Darkness; gloom. 

pit'-e-ofis, a. Mournful; miserable. 


LESSON 179. 

Ivet me not leave my space of ground untilled ; 
Call me not hence with mission unfulfilled. 

Let me not die before I’ve done for Thee 
My earthly work, whatever that may be.” 


a-bOr-ish, V. t. To put an end to. 
a-e-eom'-plish, v. t. To complete, 
a-cbieye', v. t. To accomplish. 
€6m-ple'-tioii, n. Act of finishing. 
€on-«lu'-siye, a. Decisive. 
€5ii'-sum-mate or -edu-sttin'-mate, v. t. 

To bring to completion, 
■eul'-mi-nate, v. i. To reach the high¬ 
est point. 

de-moF-ish, v. t. To destroy, 
e-yen'-tu-al, a. Final; terminating, 
es-hgust', V. t. To consume entirely, 
ex-pl-ra'-tion, n. Termination. 

ex-ter'-ml-nate, v. t. To destroy ut¬ 
terly. 


ex-tin-cFj u. Ended; having ceased, 
ex'-tir-pate or ex-tir'-pate, v. t. To 

root out. 

fi-iia'-le (fe-na'-la), «. The last note 
or end of a piece of music; close; 
termination. 

fru-i'-tion, n. Pleasure derived from 
possession. 

ful-filF, V. t. To bring to pass. 
qui-e'-t«s, n. That which silences; 

a final discharge, 
ter-mi-na'-tion, n. Conclusion. 
uF-ti-mate, a. Final; the last 
suit. 


re- 







SPEIvLING AND DEFINING. 


95 


LESSON 180. 

HOmOPHOXOlJS WORDS. 

He liveth long who liveth well ! 

All else is life but flung away ; 

He liveth longest who can tell 

Of true things only done each day.— H. Bonar. 


shoe, n. A covering for the foot. 

V. t. To drive away. 

shone or sh$ne, v. t. Did shine, 
shown, V. t. Having caused to see. 

sh^t, V. t. To cause to be driven by 
force. 

chute, n. A frame-work for sliding 
articles from a higher to a lower level. 

sleight, n. Trick; artifice. 

slight, a. Slender; {v. A) neglect. 

s6me, n. A portion of. 

sum, n. A problem to be solved. 


s6n, n. A male child, 
sun, n. The source of light. 

sore, a. Painful; bruised, 
soar, V. t. To fly aloft. 

stare, v. i. To look with fixed eyes, 
stair, n. A series of steps for ascent 
or descent. 

steel, n. Refined iron, 
steal, V. t. To take without right or 
leave. 

sfi«k'-er, n. A kind of fish, 
sue'-eor, n. Help; assistance. 


LESSON 181. 


WORDS DKJ«OXING JOV, 

I sing as sings the bird on yonder branches swinging; 

It is not that the song be heard, but for the joy of singing. 

And yet if there chance by, or hap to linger nigh. 

One who listens to my lay and goes bravely forth to meet the day, 
With a heart less troubled, the joy of song is doubled.— Century. 


a€-elaim% n. A joyous shout of ap¬ 
plause. 

huo^'-ant, a. Cheerful; vivacious. 
e€'-sta-sy, n. Enthusiastic delight, 
gn-thu'-gi-agm, n. Ecstasy, 
fe-li^'-i-ty, n. State of being happy, 
grat'-i-fy, t. To give pleasure to. 
gratM-tilde, n. Thankfulness. 
haP-^y-on, a. Peaceful; undisturbed, 
lli-lar'-i-ty, «. Mirth; gayety. 
jd-c'-und, a. Merry; lively, 
joy'-ous, a. Glad; gay. 
ju'-bi-lant, a. Rejoicing; shouting 
for joy. 


laugh'-ter (laf-ter), n. Convulsive 
expression of mirth, 
pea^e'-a-ble, a. Tranquil; quiet, 
pleag'-ure, n. Agreeable sensations 
of emotion. 

rap'-ture, n. Extreme joy or pleasure. 
re-joP-^mg, n. Occasion of joy or 
gladness. 

sat-is-f a-e'-tion, n. Gratification of 
desire. 

tri-um'-phant, a. Rejoicing for vic¬ 
tory. 

Yi-e-to'-ri-ous, a. Winning; triumph¬ 
ant. 






96 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 882. 

l>£R'rAIB(i:KO TO HVROR. 

“ lyive for today ! Tomorrow’s light 
Will bring tomorrow’s cares to sight; 
Go, sleep like the flowers at night 
And Heaven will bless thy morn ! ” 


fib*sftrd% a. Ridiculous; irrational. 
€ar'-i-ea-ture, v. t. To ridiculously 
exaggerate. 

«0m'-i€-al, a. Exciting mirth; droll, 
de-ride', v. t. To turn to ridicule, 
droll, a. Ludicrous from oddity. 
fa-<je'-tious (-shiis), a. Given to wit 
and good humor. 

frdl'-i-e-sdme, a. Full of gayety and 
mirth. 

gay'-e-ty, n. Merry delight; state of 

being gay. 

grl-ma^', n. A made up face, 
gro-tesqne' (-tesk), a. Ludicrous, 
hd'-mor-ous (or yu'-mur-), a. Exciting 
laughter. 


j6e'-u-lar, a. Given to jesting. 

laugh'-a-ble, a. Fitted to excite 
laughter. 

ley'-i-ty, Lightness of temper or 
conduct. 

lu'-di-erous, a. Laughable; comical. 

mtrtii'-ful, a. Full of mirth or merri¬ 
ment. 

play'-fiil-ness, n. The state of being 
playful. 

rl-die'-u-lous, a. Laughable. 

sport'-ive, a. Gay; frolicsome; play¬ 
ful. 

wa^-gish, a. Roguish in sport or 
good humor. 


LESSON 183. 

XO XHK XHHAXRB. 

“ This life a theatre we well may call, 

Where every actor must perform with art; 

Or laugh it through, and make a farce of all, 

Or learn to bear with grace his tragic part .”—From the Greek. 


a-C'-tor, n. One who acts or performs, 
am-a-teur', n. Not a professional, 
a-muge'-ment, n. Entertainment; rec¬ 
reation. 

ftu'-di-eii^e, n. An assembly of hearers, 
bfir-lesque', n. A ludicrous represen¬ 
tation. 

§ir'-€iis, n. An enclosed place for 
games, or feats of horsemanship. 
€ 0 -me'-di-aii, n. An actor or player 
in comedy. 

€5m'-e-dy, n. A dramatic composition 
of a light and amusing character. 


dra'-ma or dra'-ma, n. A composition 
designed to be represented on the 
stage by several characters. 

en-eore' (6ng-kor'), adv. Once more. 

far^e, n. A low style of comedy. 

min'-strel-sy, n. A collective body of 
minstrels; occupation of minstrels. 

mu-ge'-nm, n. A repository for curiosi¬ 
ties. 

pan'-to-mime, n. A theatrical enter¬ 
tainment given in dumb show. 






SPELLING AND DEFINING, 


m 


piir-qiieP (-kii or -ket), n. The body 
of seats on the floor of a theatre near¬ 
est the orchestra. 

per-form'-aii§e, n. An exhibition, 
ta-bleau' (-bio), n. A representation 
of some scene by persons gproiiped in 
the proper manner. 


tlie'-a-ter, \n. A house for the exhibi- 
the'-a-tre, j tion of dramatic per¬ 
formances. 

tra-g’e'-di-aii, n. A tragic actor. 
trag'-e-(ly, n. A dramatic poem per¬ 
formed by illustrious persons, and 
generally having a fatal issue. 


LESSON 184. 

XO KESXIVIXY. 

Pleasures are like poppies spread, 

You seize the flower, its bloom is shed ; 

Or like the snow flakes on the river, 

A moment white, then gone forever.— Burns. 


aii-ni-yer'-sa-ry, n. A day on which 
an event is celebrated annually. 

ban'-qiiet (bank'-wet), n. A rich en¬ 
tertainment ; a feast. 

bar'-be-eiie, n. A large animal roasted 
whole. 

birth'-day, n. The anniversary of one’s 
birth. 

•ear'-ni-val, n. A festival of merriment 
and revelry. 

^el-e-bra'-tiou, n. Honor bestowed 
by public ceremonies. 

^en-ten'-iii-al, n. The hundredth an¬ 
niversary. 

^er'-e-mo-ny, n. Outward rite. 

■Christ'-mas, n. The festival of the 
Christian church, observed annually 
on December 25th, in memory of the 
birth of Christ. 


■cor-o-na'-tioii, «. The act of crowning 
a sovereign. 

f es-tlv'-i-ty, n. Gayety; joyfulness. 

liol'-i-day, n. A day set apart in com¬ 
memoration of some event. 

il-lu-ihi-iia'-tioii, n. Festive, decora¬ 
tions of houses or buildings with 
lights. 

jol-li-fi-ca'-tiou, n. Noisy festivity 
and merriment. 

jii'-bi-lee, n. A season of great joy. 

bs-ten-ta'-tion, n. Pretentious parade; 
unnecessary display or show. 

pag'-eant-ry, n. Pompous exhibition 
or display. 

pro-^es'-siou, n. Regular, ceremoni¬ 
ous progress. 

re-€-re-a'-tioii, n. Entertainment; 
amusement. 

rev^'-el-rj^, n. Noisy festivity 


LESSON 185. 

DICXAXIOX KXERCISKo 

Ring, joyous chords! ring out again! 

A swifter still, and a wilder strain! 

They are here, the fair face and the careless heart 
And stars shall wane ere the mirthful part. 







98 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


But I meet a dimly mournful glance, 

In a sudden turn of the flying dance; 

I heard the tone of a heavy sigh 
In a pause of the thrilling melody! 

And it is not well that woe should breathe 
On the bright spring flowers of the festal wreath! 
Ye that to thought or to grief belong, 

Leave, leave the hall of song! — Mrs. Hemans. 


LESSON 186. 

MISCHI^I^ANKOUS. 

“ Get into the habit of looking for the silver lining of the clouds, rather than at the leaden 
gray in the middle. It will help you over many hard places.” 


sul)-s€rip'-tion, n. To give consent by 
writing the name. 

sub-sist^-enge, n. Means of support. 

suf'-fo-€ate, V. t. To stifle; to smother. 

Siiit'-a-ble, a. Proper; becoming. 

Slire (shyr), a. Without doubt; cer¬ 
tain. 

sur-vey', v. t. To examine. 

S^m'-bol, n. A significant character or 
letter. 

sj^m-met'-ri-e-al, a. Having opposite 
parts in the same form. 

s|s-tem-at'-i€, a. According to regu¬ 
lar method. 


te-na'-cious, a. Holding fast. 
teud'-en-§y, n. Drift; direction to¬ 
wards an object. 

ten'-sion, n. The act of stretching or 
straining. 

tep'-id, a. Moderately warm, 
ter-res'-tri-al, a. Earthly, 
ter'-ri-ble, a. Dreadful, 
ter-rif'-i-e, a. Causing terror, 
thlrst'-y, a. Suffering from thirst. 
th6r'-oug“li, a. Complete; perfect, 
tough (tiif), Strong; able to endure 
hardship. 

treacli'-er-ous, a. Faithless; false. 


LESSON 187. 

XO KI^OWHltS. 

I^ife evermore is fed by death. 

In earth, and sea, and sky ; 

And that a rose may breathe its breath. 


Something 

a-lj^s'-sum, n. A plant belonging to 
the mustard family, bearing small, 
white, sweet-scented flowers. * 
a-nem'-o-ne, n. Called wind flower, 
as its leaves are so easily stripped off 
by the wind. 

ar'-bu-tus, «. A trailing plant, having 
a pale pink flower, 
a-za'-le-a, n. A flowering plant, 
bfin-qiigt' (b^-kaOf A nosegay. 


must di&.—Holland. 

€a'-lyx, n. The leaf-like envelope of a 
flower. 

•car-na'-tion, n. A species of clove pink. 
«lirys-an'-tlie-iiium, n. A kind of 
flower, of many species. 

■elein'-a-tis, n. A climbing plant, with 
flower. 

gy'-press, n. A flowering vine, 
daf'-fo-dil, n. A plant with a yellow 

flower. 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


99 


(dSl'*y& or dar-y&),». A large 
and beautiful flower. 

dan' de-li-on, n. A plant with a yellow 
flower and leaves the shape of a 
lion's tooth. 

eg'-lan-tine (or -tin), The sweet 
briar; a species of rose. 

fleur-de-lls', n A flower of the lily 
family. 


flo'-rist, n. One who cultivates flowers, 
fra'-grant, a. Sweet of smell, 
f uQli'-si-&, n. A flowering plant, native 
of Mexico and South America, 
ge-ra'-nl-nm, n. A plant and flower, 
he'-li-o-trope, n. A very fragrant 
flower. 


LESSON 188. 

Pertalnliiic to Plowers. 

Leaves have their time to fall. 

And flowers to wither at the north wind’s breath.— D. Hemans. 


hy'-a-^Inth, n. A bulbous plant bearing 
beautiful spikes of fragrant flowers, 
liy-dran'-ge-a, n. A plant bearing 
large heads of showy flowers of a 
rose color naturally. 
ja-p5n'-i-ea, n. A species of camellia 
bearing beautiful red or white flowers, 
jas'-mine, n. A shrub or climbing 
plant bearing flowers of a peculiarly 
fragrant odor. 

n. A beautiful and fragrant 
flower. 

mar'-i-gold, n. A plant bearing yel¬ 
low flowers. 

mi-gnon-ette' (miii-yun-et')» An 
annual flowering plant having a 
delicate odor. 

iiar-^is'*sus, n. A flowering plant 
with bulbous root. 

uas-tflr'-tium, «. A climbing plant 
with yellow flowers. 


o'-dor-ofis, a. Having a sweet odor. 

6r'-ehid (or'-kld), n. A species of or¬ 
chis. 

pe'-o-ny, n. A large, beautiful, showy 
flower. 

per'-fume, «. Fragrance. 

peF-al, n. One of the colored leaves 
of a flower. 

plildx (fldks), n. An American flower¬ 
ing plant, having red, white or pur¬ 
ple flowers. 

rho-do-dgn'-dron, n. A plant with 
handsome evergreen leaves and beau¬ 
tiful rose-colored or purple flowers. 

sy-rin'-ga, n. A kind of shrub with 
sweet-scented white flowers. 

this'-tle (this'-sl), n. A prickly plant 
with pink or lavender flowers. 

va'-rl-e-gate, v. t. To mark with dif¬ 
ferent colors. 

yer-be'-nd, n. A beautiful flower. 


LESSON 189. 

DICTTAXIOPiJ HXERCISK. 

I cannot despise the cold man of science, who walks with his eyes 
All alert through a garden of flowers, and strips 
The lilies’ gold tongues, and the roses’ red lips, 

With a ruthless dissection; since he, I suppose, 

Has some purpose beyond the mere mischief he does. 


LOFC, 





100 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


But the stupid and mischievous boy, that uproots 
The exotics, and tramples the tender young shoots 
For a boy’s brutal pastime, and only because 
He knows no distinction between heartsease and haws,— 

One would wish, for the sake of each blossom so nipped. 

To catch the young rascal and have him well whipped .—Owen Meredith. 


LESSON 190. 

COl^OR. 

** When death’s shadows my bosom uncloud, 

When I shrink from the thought of the coffin and shroud. 
May hope, like the rainbow, my spirit enfold 
In her beautiful pinions of purple and gold.” 


az'-ure, n. The blue color of the sky. 
€ar'-mine, n. A rich red or crimson 
color. 

■e6r-or, n. Any hue or tint as distin¬ 
guished from white. 

•erim'-gon, n. A deep red color, 
gray, n. Any mixture of white and 
black. 

lav'-en-der, n. A grayish blue color, 
ma-geu'-ta, n. A red or crimson 
color, derived from aniline. 
ma-roT^n^ n. A brownish crimson, or 
claret color. 

manye (moy), n. A delicate and beau¬ 
tiful purple or lilac, 
maz-a-rlne^ tt. A deep blue color. * 


5' €hre^ }^' yellow. - 

dl'-iye, n. A dark brownish green 
color. 

Sr'-ange, n.K mixture of red and yellow, 
pnr'-ple, n. A color composed of red 
and blue, much esteemed for its rich¬ 
ness and beauty. * 

si-eii'-na, n. A brownish yellow color, 
um'-ber, n, A blackish brown color, 
yer'-dure, n. Greenness. 
yer-miF-ion (-yun), n. A beautiful 
red color. 

yi'-0-let, «. A dark blue inclining to red. 
yel'-low, n. A bright, golden color, 
reflecting the most light of any, 
except white. 


LESSON 191. 

Mouldering and moss-grown, through the lapse of years, in motionless beauty stands the 
giant oak, whilst those that saw its green and flourishing youth are gone and are forgotten.— 


Longfellow. 

ar'-bor yi'-tae, n. An evergreen tree, 
asp'-en, n A species of poplar, 
whose leaves tremble with the slight¬ 
est impulse of the wind, 
birch, n. A tree of several species, 
bdt'-ter-nttt, n An American tree 
and its fruit. 

€a-tar-pa, n. A tree having large 
leaves and white flowers. 


je'-dar, n. An evergreen tree, 
chest'-nfit (ches'-), n. A tree, with 
fruit enclosed in a prickly bur. 
■eo'-€6a (ko'-ko), n. A palm, producing 
the cocoanut. 

eb'-on-y, n. A wood from Madagascar 
and Ceylon, which admits of a fine 
polish; the usual color is blajck. 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


101 


Sim, n. A tree much used in America 
for shade. 

fo'-ll-a^e, n. A collection of leaves 
arranged by nature, 
lil-ck'-o-ry, n. An American tree, 
mag-uo'-li-a, n. A tree having large, 
fragrant flowers, found in the south¬ 
ern part of the United States, 
ma-hd^-a-ny, n. A large tree found 
in tropical America, 
pal-met'-to, n. A species of palm, 
growing in the West Indies and 
southern United States. 


per-sim'-mon, n. An American tree, 
with fruit like a plum. 

sas'-sa-fras, n. A tree whose bark has 
an aromatic smell and taste, 
sy-e'-a-more, n. A large tree found in 
Egypt and Syria, and is the sycamore 
of Scripture; in America the button- 
wood tree is called by this name, 
wal'-nut, n. A tree, of which there 
are several species, and its fruit. 
wiF-low, n. A tree with slender, pliant 
branches. 


LESSON 192. 

HOI»IOPHOI>KOUS WORDS. 

’Tis a very good world that we live in, 

To lend, to spend, or to give in ; 

But to beg or to borrow, or to get a man’s own, 

’Tis the very worst world that ever was known.— Lytton. 


stake, V. t. To wager; («.) A post, 
steak, n. A slice of meat. 

stile, n. Steps over a fence, 
style, n. Fashion; manner. 

strait, n. A narrow passage of water 
between two larger bodies of water, 
straight, a. Not crooked. 

sweet, a. Agreeable, 
suite (sweet), «. A series; a collec¬ 
tion. 

ta-eks, n. Small nails. 

tax, n. Tribute to the government. 


tear, n. A drop of water from the eye. 
tier, n. A row. 

tear, v. t. To rend, 
tare, n. A weed; deduction from 
freight. 

team, n. Two or more horses.' 
teem, v. i. To be full; to abound. 

throne, n. A chair of state, 
thrown, v. i. Past of throw. 

toll, n. Tax on the highway, 
tole, V. t. To cause to follow. 


LESSON 193. 

AXI9IAX,S. 


The raodves of conscience, as connected with repentance and the feeling of duty, are the most 
important differences which separate man from the animal.—ZJaf-ze/m, 


aP-li-ga-tor, n. A large reptile living 
in water or on land. 

■car'-eass, n. The dead body of an 
animal. 

€ha-me'-le-on, n. A lizard-like reptile, 
whose color changes more or less 
with the color of the objects about 
it 


§ham'-ois (sham'-mjf), n. A species of 
antelope living on the highest peaks 
in Europe. 

•er6«'-o-dile, n, A large reptile. 

drdm'-e-da-ry, n, A camel, with one 
hump. 







102 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


eF-e-phanty n. One of the largest 
quadrupeds now in existence, 
fawn, n. A young deer, 
fer'-ret, «. An animal or the weasel 
kind. 

gi-rafife% n. An African quadruped 
with short hind legs, long fore legs 
and long neck. 

go-ril'-li, n. A large African monkey, 
hlp-po-pdt'-a-mfis, n. A large quadru¬ 
ped, native of Africa. 
hy-e'-n4, n. A wild animal with a 
bristly mane like a hog; it feeds 
upon carrion. 


kan-ga-r<n>', n. An Australian quad¬ 
ruped. 

ISop'-ard, n. A yellow or fawn-colored 
animal with black spots along the 
back and sides. 

men-ag'-e-rie (-azh-), n. A place where 
animals are kept and trained. 
m6n'-key, n. A species of ape. 
por'-cu-pine, «. An animal covered 
with quills having sharp prickles 
quad'-ru-ped, a. Having four feet. 
rhi-n5^'-e-r6s, n. A large and power¬ 
ful quadruped nearly allied to the 
elephant. 


LESSON 194. 


BIRDS. 

What though thy seed should fall by the wayside 
And the birds snatch it — yet the birds are fed ; 
Or they may bear it far across the tide, 

To give rich harvest after thou art dead.” 


bdb^o-ll&k, n. An American singing 
bird. 

■ea-na'-ry, n. A species of singing 
bird. 

€5€k-a-tdb% n. A bird of the parrot 
kind. 

•eor'-mo-raiit, n. A sea raven. 

•eq«k'-db, n. A bird that derives its 
name from its song. 

ea'-gle, n, A rapacious bird of the 
falcon family, very large and strong. 

fla-min'-go, n. A bird having long 
legs and long neck. 

gold'-finch, n. A beautiful singing 
bird, so named for the color of its 
wings. 

hiim'-miiig-bird, n. A very small 
bird, remarkable for the brilliancy of 
its plumage. 

ja€k'-dgw, n. A bird allied to the 
crows; it is black, with a blue or 
metallic reflection. 


night'-in-gale, n. A small bird that 
sings at night. 

o'-rl-ole, «. A singing bird having 
plumage of a golden yellow, mixed 
with black. 

os'-trich, «. A large bird, nearly ten 
feet high, with long plumes instead 
of feathers; it can surpass horses in 
running. 

par'^-o-quet, n. A small bird found in 
tropical countries. 

par'-rot, n A bird having brilliant 
plumage, and celebrated for its pow¬ 
ers of mimicry. 

pel'-i-eaii, n. A web-footed water fowl, 
larger than a swan, and remarkable 
for its enormous bill, to the lower 
edge of which is attached a large 
pouch. 

peu'-guiii, n. A web-footed marine 
bird; it is unable to fly, but swims and 
dives well; it is found only in the 
south temperate and frigid regions. 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


103 


rdb'-in, n. An American singing bird, 
having a breast of a somewhat dingy 
orange red color. 


s«reech'-owl, n. An owl that utters a 
harsh cry at night, 
wreu, n. A small bird. 


LESSON 195. 

INSHCXS. 

Not a worm is cloven in vain; 

Not a moth with vain desire 
Is shrivel’d in a fruitless fire, 

But subserves another’s Tennyson. 


bee'-tle, n. An insect having four 
wings, the outer pair being stiff cases • 
for covering the others when folded. 

bfit'-ter-fly, n. An insect of different 
species, so called from the color of a 
yellow species. 

€at'-er-pU-lar, n. The worm state of 
a moth or butterfly. 

5en'-ll-p5d (also ^en'-ti-pede), n. A 
many-jointed, wingless insect having 
many feet. 

€hrys'-a-lis (kris-), n. The form into 
which the butterfly passes, and from 
which the perfect insect emerges. 

€6-ek'-rdach, n. An insect with a long 
body and flat wings; is very trouble¬ 
some, infecting houses and ships. 

€ 0 -«dbii% n. The oblong case of a silk¬ 
worm, in which it lies in its chrys¬ 
alis state. 

€ri€k'-et, n. An insect with a chirp¬ 
ing note. 

dra^-on-fly, n. An insect having a 
large heau,. wings and eyes, and a 
long body. 


glow'-worm, n. An insect emitting a 
green light. 

gnat (nat), n. A small, troublesome 
insect having lancet-like bills. 
grass'-h6p-per, n. A jumping insect. 
Ii6r'-uet, n. A large, strong wasp of a 
dark brown and yellow color, 
ka'-ty-did, n. An insect of a pale green 
color,closely allied to the grasshopper. 
16'-cust, n. A jumping insect of the 
species of the grasshopper, 
mds-qiu'-to, n. A small insect having 
a sharp-pointed proboscis, by means 
of which it punctures the skin of ani¬ 
mals, causing a considerable degree 
of pain. 

silk'-worm, n. The caterpillar which 
produces silk. 

spi'-der, n. An insect remarkable for 
spinning webs for taking its prey, 
forming its habitation and holding 
its food. 

ta-ran'-tu-la, n, A species of spider, 
whirl'-i-gig, n. An insect that lives 
on the surface of the water and moves 
about with great celerity. 


LESSON 196. 

DICTATION KXER-CISB. 

Rubbing her shoulder with rosy palm. 

As the loathsome touch yet seemed to thrill her. 
My little girl cried, “ I found on my arm 
A horrible, crawling caterpillar ! ’ ’ 






104 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


And with mischievous smile she could scarcely smother, 

Yet a glance in its daring, half awed and shy, 

She added, “ While they were about it, mother, 

I wish they’d just finished the butterfly!” 

Ah, look thou largely, with lenient eyes. 

On whatso beside thee may creep or cling, 

For the possible glory that underlies 

The passing phase of the meanest thing! 

What if God’s great angels, whose waiting love 
Beholdeth our pitiful life below 
From the holy height of their heaven above. 

Couldn’t bear with the worm till the wings should grow. 

— Mrs. Whitney 


LESSON 197. 

HOM[OI»MONOUS WORDS. 

I count this thing to be grandly true : 

That a noble deed is a step toward God, 
lyifting the soul from the common sod 


To a purer air and a 

tiieir, pron. Belonging to them, 
there, adv. In that place. 

tliyiiie (tiiii), n. A fragrant plant, 
time, n. Duration. 

tide, n. Rise and fall of the sea. 
tied, V. t. Fastened. 

too, adv. Excessively, 
to, prep. Toward, 
two, a. Twice one. 

tun, n. A liquid measure, 
tou, «. A vreight of 2,000 pounds. 


broader view.— Holland. 

vale, n. A valley. 

veil, n. A cover for the face. 

vain, a. Proud; fond of praise, 
vein, n. A vessel that conveys the 
blood back to the heart, 
vane, n. A weathercock. 

vi'-al, n. A small bottle. 

Vi'-ol, n. A musical instrument. 

Vi^e, n. A moral failing, 
vise, n. An instrument for holding 
things, closed by a screw. 


LESSON 198. 

It is not growing like a tree 
In bulk, doth make man better be ; 

Nor standing long, to fall at last, dry, bald and sere; 

In small proportions we most beauty see, 

And in short measures life may perfect be.— Jonson. 


bulk'-i-uess, n. Greatness in size, 
■eo-los'-sal, a. Gigantic. 

■edr'-pu-leut, a. An excessive quan¬ 
tity of flesh. 


•eum'-brous, a. Burdensome, 
e-nor'-mous, a. Great beyond the 
common measure. 

ex-ten'-sive-ly,^ adv. To a great ex 
tent; widely. 






SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


106 


gi-gail'-ti€, a. Very large, 
lier-eii'-le-an, a. Having great strength 
or size. 

liiige'-iiess, n. Enormous bulk or 
largeness. 

im-meas'-ur-a-ble, a. That cannot be 
measured. 

ini-men'-si-ty, n. Vast in extent or bulk, 
lil-li-pu'-tiaii, a. Diminutive; very 
small size. 

ma^-iii-^, V. t. To enlarge, 
mag'-ni-tude, n. Bulk; size. 


muF-ti-tude, n. A crowd; a great 
number of persons. 

inus'-«u-lar, a. Having well-developed 
muscles; brawny, 
spa'-ciofis, a. Vast in extent, 
stu-pen'-dous, a. Astonishing magni¬ 
tude or elevation, 
ti'-ny, a. Very small, 
tre^men'-doiis, a. That which aston¬ 
ishes by its magnitude, force or vio¬ 
lence. 


LESSON 199. 

I*R.HCIOUS SXOISES. 

Full many a gem of purest ray serene, 

The dark, unfathomed caves of ocean bear ; 

Full many a flower is born to blush unseen. 

And waste its sweetness on the desert air.— Grey. 


am'-e-thj^st, n. A precious stone of a 
bluish violet color. 

ber'-yl, n. A bluish green mineral of 
* great hardness, and when clear, of 
great beauty. 

€ar'-bun-ele, n. A beautiful gem of 
a deep red color. 

«ar-neF-iaii ( yau), n. A variety of 
chalcedony, of a deep red, flesh red, 
or reddish white color. 

€hal-Qed'-o-uy or «liar-§e-do-ny, n. 
A kind of quartz, usually of a whitish 
color, and a luster nearly like wax. 

€lirys'-o-lite, n. A mineral, varying 
in color from pale green to bottle 
green. 

■erys'-tal, a. Clear; transparent. 

di'-a-mond, n. A gem, remarkable for 
its hardness and brilliancy. 

em'-er-ald, n. A precious stone of a 
rich green color. 

gar'-net, n. A mineral of a deep red 
color. 


jas^-per, n. An impure variety of 
quartz, of a dull red or yellow color, 
o'-nyx, n. Chalcedony, consisting of 
parallel layers of different shades of 
colors, and used for making cameos, 
o'-pal, n. A precious stone, consisting 
of silex in what is called a soluble 
state, and a small quantity of water, 
pearl, n. A bluish white, smooth, 
lustrous jewel. 

ru'-by, n. A precious stone of a car¬ 
mine red color. 

sap'-phire (saf'-ir), n. Pure crystal¬ 
lized alumina, next in hardness to a 
diamond. 

sar'-di-fis, n. A precious stone, prob¬ 
ably a carnelian. 

sar''do-nyx, n. A gem of reddish yel¬ 
low, or nearly orange color, 
to'-paz, n. A gem, generally yellow 
and pellucid. 

tur-quoig' (-koiz' or -keez'), n. A min¬ 
eral of a bluish green color, brought 
from Persia. 





106 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 200. 

DIC'TA'TIO^ KXBRCISH. 

Thus it is over all the earth! That which we call the fairest, 

And prize for its surpassing worth, is always rarest. 

Iron is heaped in mountain piles and gluts the laggard forges; 

But gold-flakes gleam in dim defiles and lonely gorges. 

The snowy marble flecks the land with heaped and rounded ledges, 
But diamonds hide within the sand their starry edges. 

Were every hill a precious mine, and golden all the mountains; 
Were all the rivers fed with wine by tireless fountains; 

Life would be ravished of its zest and shorn of its ambition. 

And sink into the dreamless rest of inanition.— Holland, 


LESSON 201. 


DHXOXIXG QUAXXIXY. 


True worth i.s in being, not seeming— 

In doing each day that goes by 

Some little good — not in dreaming 

Of great things to do by and hy.—Alice Carey. 


a-bfin'-dan^e, n. Great plenty, 
am'-ple, a. Fully sufficient. 
■cSm'-pe-ten-^y, n. Sufficiency. 
«6ii-sid'-er-a-ble, a. Moderately large, 
■eo'-pi-ofls, a. Plentiful; abundant, 
dearth, n. Want; famine, 
e-nough' (e-nuf')) Equal to wants, 
ex-u'-ber-ant, a. Over-abundant; su¬ 
perfluous. 

fam'-ine, n. General scarcity of food. 

a. Plenteous; productive, 
in-ad'-e-quate, a. Unequal; insuffi¬ 
cient to effect the object. 
Iu 5 -n'-ri-ail§e, n. Over-abundance. 


mea'-ger,') 


mea'-gre, 


>a. Scanty. 

) 

plen'-te-ous, a. Abundant. 

re-duii'-daiit, a. Exceeding what is 
necessary. 

s-eant'-y, a. Hardly sufficient; not 
ample. 

s-ear'-^i-ty, n. Smallness of quantity. 

suf-fF-cient (fislF-ent), a. Equal to 
needs. 


su-per'-flu-ous, a. More than is wanted; 
excessive. 

shr'-plus, n. An excess beyond what 
is wanted. 


LESSON 202. 


HOmOPHOlHOUS WORDS. 

All are architects of Fate, working in these walls of time ; 

Some with massive deeds and great, some with ornaments of rhyme. • 

Nothing useless is, or low, each thing in its place is best. 

And what seems but idle show strengthens and supports the r&st— Longfellow. 


waste, V. t. To destroy, 
waist, n. Small part of the body 
above the hips. 

wade, V. /. To walk in mud or water. 
Weighed, V. t. Estimated heaviness. 


wait, V. i. To delay, 
weight, n. Pressure downwards. 

wave, n. The advancing swell on the 
surface of a liquid, 
waive, v. t. To relinquish. 





SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


107 


w&^e, ft. Articles of merchandise, 
wear, v. /. To consume by use. 

week, n. Seven days, 
weak, a. Wanting strength. 

wrap, V. t. To enfold. 

rap, n. A blow; {v. /.) to strike. 


wrote, V. t. Did write, 
rote, n. Mere repetition, without at¬ 
tention to the meaning. 

wring, V. t. To twist. 

ring, n. A circle; {v. /.) to resound. 

yoke, n. That which connects or binds 
yolk (yok), n. Part of an egg. 


LESSON 203. 


WORDS RKQVIRIXG CARE^PIJI^ DISCRII»IIKAXIOI«(. 

“ Don’t brood o’er care—the trouble that you make 
Is always worse to bear, and hard to shake: 

Smile at the world; the sorrow that is sent, 

Take v\ith patience, as your punishment. 

He arius, who laughs.” 


a-e-<j5pt% V. t. To receive with favor. 
Sx-<jept', V. t. To leave out. 

aets, n. pi. Deeds. 

ax, n. A tool for chopping. 

af-f§-ct', V. t. To operate on. 

Result; ( 2 /.) to bring about. 

alms, «. Gifts of charity, 
arms, Weapons; limbs. 

ar'-rant, a. Very bad; wicked, 
er'-rand, n. A commission, 
er'-rant, a. Wandering; wild. 


baP-lad, n. A popular song. 
baP-lot, n. The ticket cast, 
bal'-let (baP-la) ,«. A theatrical dance 

bar'-on, n. A title of nobility in Eng¬ 
land. 

bar'-ren, a. Unproductive; sterile. 

bared, v. t. Made bare, 
beard, n. Hair on the chin. 

bile, n. Secretions of the liver, 
boil, n. A tumor; {v. t.) to seethe. 


LESSON 204. 

Words Requiring Careful Discrimination. 

“ Perish policy and cunning ; 

Perish all that fears the light; 

Whether losing, whether winning. 

Trust in God and do the right.” 


bSd'-I^e, n. A kind of quilted waist¬ 
coat with stays, for women. 
b5d'-ies, Plural of body. 

boy, n. A male child, 
budj^, «. A floating cask. 

bran, «. Coarse part of grain, 
brand, n. A mark made by a hot iron. 


bbrst, V. t. To break open by force, 
bust, n. A piece of statuary. 

■earn, n. A part of a machine. 

«alm, a. Quiet. 

■eari-ol, n. A song of joy. 

-cdr'-al, n. Insects and their shells 
found in the sea, composed almost 
purely of carbonate of lime. 






BUSINESS SERIES. 




€ast'-er, n. A small wheel on which 
furniture is rolled. 

€as'-tor, n. A substance of a strong 
smell and bitter taste. 

change, n. An event happening with¬ 
out any assigned cause, 
chants, v. t. Sings. 


■eloge, V. t. To shut 
■clothes, n. Garments. 

«5n'-fi-dent, a. Bold-, positive. 
«5n-fi-dant', n. A confidential or 
bosom friend. 


LESSON 205. 

Words Requiring: Careful Discrimination. 

Virtuous and vicious every man must be, 

F^w in the extreme, but all in the degree ; 

The rogue and fool by fits is fair and wise ; 

And even the best, by fits, what they despise.— 


catch, V. t. To seize; to lay hold of. 
ketch, n. A kind of boat. 

der-er-en^e, n. Respect for others. 
dir-fer-en§e, n. Disagreement; mark 
of distinction. 

dense, a. Close; compact, 
dents, Marks; small hollows. 

de-s§ent', n. A coming down, 
dis-sent', n. Difference of opinion. 

de-sert', n. Merit; worth. 
des-gertS n. The last course at the 
table; pastry, fruits and sweetmeats. 


de-Yige^ v. t. To contrive; to bequeath. 
de-vi§e', n. Trick. 

di'-yerg, a. Several; various, 
di-yerse', a. Different in kind. 

em'-i-nent, a. Exalted in rank, 
im'-mi-nent, a. Threatening evil. 

e-rup'-tion, n. A breaking forth, 
ir-rup'-tion, n. A bursting in. 

e-merge% v. i. To rise out of a fluid, 
im-merge', v, t. To plunge into a 
fluid. 


LESSON 206. 

Words Requiring: Careful Discrimination. 

“ He who never changed any of his opinions never corrected any of his mistakes ; and he 
who was never wise enough to find out any mistakes in himself, will not be charitable enough to 


excuse what he reckons mistakes in others.” 

false, a. Untrue, 
faults, n. Errors. 

fii'-ther, «. Male parent, 
far'-ther, adv. More remotely; beyond. 

far, a. Distant. 

fur, n. Short, thick hair. 

fell'-er, n. One who fells or knocks 
down. 

fel'-low, n. An individual. 

first, a. Foremost; earliest, 
ffist, n. Mustiness. 


fislF-er, n. One who catches fish, 
fis'-sure (f isli'-yr), n. A cleft; a chasm. 

form'-al-ly, adv. With ceremony, 
for'-mer-ly, adv. In earlier time. 

gant'-let, n. A military punishment, 
gaunt'-let, n. An iron glove. 

liaF-low, V. t. To keep sacred. 
hoF-low, n. A low place, 
ha'-lo, n, A circle of light. 
hal-ld?>% n. A shout; a call. 







SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


109 


LESSON 207. 

Words Requiring: Careful Discrimination. 


“ There is no greater obstacle in the way of success in life, than trusting for something to 
turn up, instead of going to work and turning up something.” 


hash, n. Minced meat and vegetables, 
harsh, a. Austere; abusive. 

huflf, n. A swell of anger or pride, 
hdhf, n. Hard part of an animal’s foot. 

jest, n. A joke. 

just, a. Upright; honest. 

least, a. The smallest 
l§st, conj. For fear that 

leay'-eii, n. Yeast, 
e-lev'-en, a. One more than ten. 
lie, V. i. To rest on a bed or couch, 
lay, V. /. To put down. 


light'-niiig, n. A flash of electric light 
in the clouds. 

light'-eii-ing, v. t. Making lighter. 

line, n. A slender chord. 

loin, n. A part of the body. 

lin'-i-ment, n. A soft or liquid oint¬ 
ment. 

lin'-e-a-meiit, n. Outline; feature. 

loose, V. i. To untie, or unbind. 

lo§e, V. t. To cause to part with unin¬ 
tentionally. 


LESSON 208. 


Words Requiring: Careful Discrimination. 

The purest treasure mortal times afford. 

Is spotless reputation : that away. 

Men are but gilded loam, or painted c\a.y.—Shakespeare. 


news, n. Tidings, 
n^se, n. A slip knot. 

6ff, adv. Away from. 

df (5y), prep. Proceeding from. 

pas'-tor, n. Minister of a church, 
pas'-tnre, n. Land used for grazing. 

pa'-tien<je, n. Calmness, 
pa'-tients (-shents), n. Those who are 
sick. 

phage, n. That which is exhibited to 
the eye. 

fSije, n. Cast of features; surface of 

a thing. 


pil'-lar, n. A column. 

pilMow, n. A cushion for the head. 

pint, n. Half a quart. 

point, n. The sharp end of anything, 

por'-tion, n. A part 
po'-tion, n. A dose. 

pr^g'-en^e, n. Nearness, 
preg'-ents, n. Gifts. 

prince, n. A king’s son. 
prints, n. Impressions. 





BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 209. 

Words Requlrins: Careful Discrimination. 

Dost thou love life, then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made oi.—Benjamin 
Franklin. 


quay (ke), n. A bank formed on the 
side of a river for loading and un¬ 
loading vessels. 

key, n. That which opens or shuts a 
lock. 

rinse, v. t. To cleanse with water, 
rents, n. Yearly income; tearings. 

sew'-er (su'-er), n. A drain or passage 
to carry off filth and water under 
ground. 

sew'-er (so'-er), n. One who sews or 
uses the needle. 

stat'-ue, n. An image. 
stSt'-ure, n. Height 
stat'-ute,«. A law. 


spe'-cie (-shj^), n. Hard money, 
spe'-cieg, n. A kind; variety, 
spe'-cious (-shus), a. Apparently right. 

stfin, V. t. To make insensible, 
stone, n. A piece of rock. 

toad, n. A reptile, 
towed, V. t. Dragged through the 
water by means of a rope. 

tow'-er, n. A high building, 
tour, n. A long journey. 

wqrst'-ed (wyst'-ed), n, A well- 
twisted yarn. 

worst'-ed (wftrst'-), v. t. Defeated; 
overthrown. 


LESSON 210. 

MISCKl^I^AKKOra. 

Man lives apart but not alone ; 

He walks amid his peers unread ; 

The best of thoughts that he hath known. 

For lack of listeners are never sa.\A.—Jean Ingelow. 


trans-par'-en-ijy, n. Clearness. 
trSag'-ure, n. That which is very 
much valued. 

tre'-mor or trem'-or, «. An involun¬ 
tary trembling. 

trj^st,«. An appointed place of meeting, 
twink'-le, V. i. To flash at intervals. 
tjfp'-i€-al, a. Emblematic, 
u'-ni-form, a. Conforming to one rule 
or mode. 

n-nlque' .(-neek'), a. Odd; without 
like or equal. 

u'-ni-s6n, n. Harmony; union, 
u-ni-yer'-sal, a. Unlimited. 


ftr'-gen-§y, n. Pressure of necessity- 
u'-til-ize, V. i. To make use of. 
ya'-ri-a-ble, a. Changeable. 
Ta-ri'-e-ty, n. A varied assortment, 
ven'-ti-late, v. t. To furnish supplies 
of fresh air. 

ven'-tur-ous, a. Fearless; daring, 
yer'-dan-^y, n. Inexperience. 
yi-§in'-i-tj^, n. Nearness. 
yo-€a'-tion, n. Trade; occupation. 
wr§s'-tle, n. A struggle between two, 
to see which will throw the other 
dowHo 





SPEIvIvING AND DEFINING. 


Ill 


LESSON 211. 

PHRXAir>iII^G XO XHK; CITY. 

“lyist to the city’s gaunt, thunderous roar. 
Calling and calling for you evermore.” 


UF-der-maii, n. An officer of a city, 
next below a mayor in rank, 
al'-ley, n. A narrow walk or passage. 
al-16t'-meut, n. That which is allotted. 
aq'-ue-du€t (ak'-we ),An artificial 
channel for conveying a canal over a 
road or river. 

ar-€ade% n. A long, arched building, 
lined on each side with shops, 
av'-e-nue, n. A wide street. 

€a-fe' (kaf-a')? A coffee house. 
€a-sr-no, n. A building used for social 
meetings, having rooms for public 
amusement. 

found'-ry, n. A building arranged for 
casting metals. 

gym-na'-si-um, n. A place for ath¬ 
letic exercise. 

hy'-drant, n. A pipe where water may 
be drawn from the mains. 


lo-eal'-i-ty, n. Geographical place oi 
situation. 

maii-u-fa€'-to-ry, n. A house or place 
where anything is manufactured; a 
factory. 

may^-or, n. The chief officer of a city. 

mn ni^'-i-pal, a. Pertaining to a cor¬ 
poration or a city. 

dr'-dl-nange, «. A rule established by- 
authority. 

po-ll§e', n. A body of civil officers 
who preserve good order and enforce 
the laws. 

reg-er-voir' (-Ywdr')? The place 
where water is collected to supply 
the city by means of pipes. 

res'-tau-rant, n. An eating house. 

sub'-fiirb, n. An outlying part of a 
town or city; a smaller place immedi¬ 
ately adjacent to a city. 


LESSON 212. 

DICXAXIO^ KXPRCISK. 

Here in the city I ponder, through its long pathways I wander. 
These are the spires that were gleaming 
All through my juvenile dreaming, 

When in the old country school house, I conned 
Legends of life in the broad world beyond— 

Ever I longed for the walls and the streets. 

And the rich conflict that energy meets! 

So I have come: but the city is great. 

Bearing me down like a brute with its weight. 

So I have come: but the city is cold, 

And I am lonelier now than of old.— Carle ton. 




ill 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 213 . 

Some Cities of tbe C. S. -witti more tliau 20,000 Inbabltants. 

I.ife, like some cities, is full of blind alleys, leading nowhere ; the great art is to keep out of 
ih&va..—Bovee. 


Census of 1900. 

Ohio .42,728 

AlMe-ghe-uy,/’rt.129,896 

Al-too'-na, Pa .38,973 

At-laii'-ti€ City, N. /. .... 27,835 

Au'-burii, N. Y. .30,345 

Au-^fls'”ta, Ga . 39.44i 

Au-ro'-ra,///..24,147 

Bal'-ti-more, Md. .508,957 

Bay' ^t-y, Mich .27,628 

Bay-dniie', N. J. .32,722 


Census of 1900. 


Bing'-ham-tdn, N. Y. .... 39.647 

Bir'-miiig-ham(-fim), .. 38,415 

Blobm'-iii^-toii, III. . 23,286 

Bridge'-port, Conn . 70,996 

Brdbk'-lj^U, N. Y. (Borough) . 1,166,582 

Buf'-fa-lo, N. Y. . 352,387 

BnY-ling-t 6 n, Iowa . 23,201 

Butte, Monl . 30,470 

■€ani'-l)ridg:e. Mass . 91,886 

•eam'-deii, N./. . 75,935 


LESSON 214 . 

Some Cities of tlie C. S. 'wltb more tban 20,000 Inbabltants. 

There is no solitude more dreadful for a stranger, an isolated man, than a great city. So many 


thousands of men and not one friend.—Boisie. 


Can'-ton, Ohio .30,667 

^e-dar Rap'-ids, Iowa .... 25,656 

Cliat-ta-ndb'-ga, Tenn .32,490 

Chel'-sea, Mass .34,072 

Clies'-ter, Pa .33,988 

^lii -ea'-go (she-kaw'-fo). III. 1,698,575 

^in-^m-iiat'-i, Ohio .325,902 

•Cleve'-Iand, .381,768 

Clin'-ton, Iowa .22,698 

C 61 -o-ra'-do Springs, Colo. . . 21,085 


•C6v'-ing-t6n, Ky .42,938 

■Co-h6e§', N. Y. .23,910 

•Coun'-^il Bluffs, Iowa .... 25,802 

Bal'-las, Texas .42,638 

Bay'-t6n, Ohio .85,333 

Dav'-en-p6rt, Iowa .35,254 

De-€a'-tur,///..20,754 

De-troit', Mich .285,704 

Du-buque', Iowa .36,297 

East'-on, Pa .25,238 


LESSON 215 . 

Some Cities of tbe XT. S. vyitb more tban 20,000 lubabltants. 

Cities have always been the fireplaces of civilization, whence light and heat radiated out into 


the dark, cold world.—Theodore Parker. 

El'-gin, III. . 


E-liz'-a-betii, N. J. . . 

.... 52,130 

El-mi'-ra, N. Y. . . . 

.... 35,672 

E'-rie, Pa . 

• • • • 52,733 

Ev'-aii§-ville, Ind. . . 


Ev'-er-ett, Mass. . . . 


Fair Riv-er, Mass. . . 


Fitcli'-burg*, Mass. . . 

• • • • 31.531 

Fort Wayne', Ind. . . 


Fort Worth, Texas . . 



Ual'-Tes-tou, Texas . 37,789 

Olduces'-ter (glos'-ter). Mass. 26,121 

Orand Rap'-ids, Mich .87,565 

Ham'-il-ton, Ohio .23,914 

Ha'-ver-liill (ha'-yer-il). Mass. 37,175 

Ho'-bo-ken, N. J. .59,364 

K 6 V-j 6 V.e^ Mass .45,712 

Hous'-ton, Texas .44,633 

Ja-ek'-sou, .25,180 

Ja€k'-soii-vilie, Pla . 28,429 






















































SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


118 


LESSON 216. 

Some Cities of tlie V. S. 'wltb more tlian 20,000 Inliabltatits. 

He who imagines he can do without the world deceives himself much ; but he who fancies the 
world cannot do without him is still more mistaken.— 


James'town, N. Y. .22,892 

Jer'-§ey N. J. .206,433 

Kal-a-ma-z(n>% Mich .24,404 

Kan'-sas 163,752 

Kings'-ton, N. Y. .24,535 

Kndx'-vllle, Tenn .32,637 

La Crosses Wis .28,895 

Laii«'-as-ter, Pa . 41,459 

Lftw'-renQe, Mass .62,559 

LSav'-en-worth, .20,735 


Lew'-is-ton, Me .23,761 

Lex'-ing-ton, Ky .26,369 

Los Au'-gel-es, Calif. .102,479 

Low'-ell, Mass . 94,969 

Lou'-is-ville (lO^'-is-ville), A3'. 204,731 

Lj^nn, Mass .68,513 

Mac Keeg'-port, Pa .34,227 

Ma'-e6ii, Ga .23,272 

MaF-den, Mass .33,664 

Man'-ches-ter, N. H, . 56,987 


LESSON 217. 

Some Cities of tlie C. S. witlt more tlian 20,000 Inbabitants. 

The axis of the earth sticks out visibly through the centre of each and every town or city.— 


O. W. Holmes. 

MSm'-phis, Tenn .102,320 

Mll-wau'-kee, Wis .285,315 

Mln-ne-ap'-o-Us, Minn .202,718 

Mo-MleS^/^.38.469 

Ind. .20,942 

Miis-ke'-goii, Mich .20,818 

Nash'-u-a, N. H. .23,898 

New'-ark, N. /. .246,070 

New BSd'-ford, Mass .62,442 

New Brit'-ain, Conn .25,998 


New'-burg, N. Y. .24,943 

New'-cas-tle, Pa .28,339 

New Ha'-ven, Conn .108,027 

New Or'-le-aii§, La .287,104 

New'-ton, Mass . 33.587 

New TorkS N. Y. . 3.437,202 

Ndr'-folk, Va .46,624 

Ndr'-ris-town, Pa .22,265 

North Ad'-ams, Mass .24,200 

Oak'-land, Calif. .66,960 


LESSON 218. 

Some Cities of tbe C. S. witb more tban 20,000 Inbabitants. 

Tower’d cities please us then. 

And the busy hum of men.— Milton. 


O'-ma-ha, Neb . 


Or'-ange, N. f. . . . . 

. . . . 24,141 

6slF-k5sh, Wis. . . . 


Os-we'-go, N. Y. . . . 


Pas-saM«, N. /. . . . 


Pat'-er-s6n, N.f... . 


Paw-tiick'-et, R. I. . • 


Pe-o'-ri a,///. . . . . 


Pe'-ters-bnrg, Va. . . 


Phll-a-dgr-phi-a, Pa. . 

. . . 1,293,697 


PItts'-bhrg, Pa .321,616 

Port'-land, Me . 50,145 

Pough-keep'-sie(po-kip'-),A. Y. 24,029 

Pu-eb'-lo (pwSb'-lo), Colo. . . 28,157 

Quiu'-cy, III. .36,282 

Ra-§iiieS Wis .29,102 

RSad'-ing, Pa .78,961 

Ro-a-nokeS Va . 21,495 

R 6 «k'-f 6 rd,///..31.051 

Rdch'-es-ter, N.Y. .162,608 
























































114 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 219 . 

Some Cities of tfie C. S* 'wltb more tban 20,000 inbabltaiits. 

“ Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, 

Where wealth accumulates, and men decay.” 


Sag'-i-naw, Mich . 42,345 

SMiit Jo'-sepli, Mo .102,979 

Sa'-lem, Mass . 35.956 

San An-to'-ni-o, Texas .... 53,321 
San Fran-^is'-€o, . . .342,782 

San Jose (ho-saO, Calif. . . . 21,500 

Sa-yan'-nali, Ga . 54.244 

S€he-ne«'-ta-dy, N. Y. . . . 31,682 

S-eran'-ton, Pa .102,026 

Se-at'-tle, Wash .80,671 


Slie-boy'-^an, Wis .22,962 

Shcn-an-do'-ali, Va .20,321 

Sionx'.33,111 

Som'-er-ville, Mass .61,643 

South Bend^, Ind. . 35,999 

Spo-kane^ Wash .36,848 

St. LouMs (Ido'-Is), Mo. . . . 575.238 

Sn-pe'-ri-or, Wis . 31 >091 

Sfr'-a-cuse, N. V. .108,374 

Ta-€o'-ma, Wash .37,7^4 


LESSON 220 . 

Some Cities of tbe IJ. S. 'wltb more tban 20,000 Iiibabltants. 

If you would know and not be known, live in a city.— Colton. 


Tann'-ton, Mass . 31,036 

Ter'-re Haute (hot), Ind. . . . 36.673 

To-le'-do, Ohio .131,822 

Troy, N. Y. .60,651 

tJ'-ti--ea, N.Y. .56,383 

Wa'-CO, Texas ......... 20,686 

Wal'-tiiam, Mass .23,481 

Wa'-ter-hur-y ( her-ry), Conn. 45,859 

Wa'-ter-towu, N. Y. ... 21,696 

West Ho-bo'-ken, N. J. . . . . 23,094 


WichM-ta, Kan .24,671 

Wiir-iams-port, Pa .28,757 

Hllkes'-bar-re ( ri), Pa. . . . 51,721 

Wil'-ming-t6n, Del. .76,508 

Wdbn-so€k'-et, R. I. .28,204 

Worces'-ter(wdbs'-ter), Mass. 118,421 

Ydnk'-er§, N. Y. .47,931 

York, Pa .33,708 

Youngrs'-town, Ohio .44,885 

Zaneg'-ville, Ohio .23,538 


LESSON 221 . 

SXAXBS AND XCRRIXORIHS. 

One flag, one land, one heart, one hand. 

One Nation, evermore \— 0 . IV. Holmes. 


STATE OR TERRITORY. 

Al-a-ba'-ma, Ala . 

A-las'-ka Ter., Alaska Ter. 
Ar-i-zo'-na, Ariz. . . . . 

Ar'-kan*sas (-saw), Ark. . . 
•€al-i-f 6 r'-ni-a, Calif. . . . . 

•edl-o-ra'-do, Colo . 

■Cdn-n 6 ct'-i-efit, Conn, or Ct. 
Del'-a-ware, Del. ...... 

FUY-i-dk,Fla .. . , 

^leor'-gi-a, Ga. . 


SQ. MILES. 

CAPITAL. CENSUS 

OF 1900. 

51.540 . 

. M 6 nt-g 6 in'-e-ry .... 

• 30,346 

531,409 • 

. Sit'-ka. 

• 1,396 

113,929 . 

. Phoe'-nix. 

• 5.544 

53,845 . 

. LiP-tle Rock. 

• 38,307 

155,980 . 

. Sa€-ra-inen'-to .... 

. 29,282 

103,845 . 

. Dgn'-ver. 

• 133.859 

4,845 • 

. Hart'-ford. 

. 79,850 

1,950 . 

. Do'-yer. 

• 3,329 

59,268 . 

. Tal-la-has'-see .... 

. 2,981 

58,980 . 

. At-lan'-ta . - . , , 

' 89,872 













































SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


115 


LESSON 222. 

States and territories. 

America — the home of the homeless all over the earth \— Street. 

territory. SQ. miles. capital. census of iQOa 

I -da-no, Idaho .84,290 . . Boise' ^t-;f (bwah-za') . 5.957 

Jl-li-noi§'(or noi'),///..56,000. . Sprmg'-fleld.34^159 

In-di-an'-a, Ind. .35.910 • • In-di-a-nap'-o-lis .... 169,164 

In'dian Ter. (md'-yan),TVr. 65,304. . Tah'-le-qnah. 1,482 

I'-o-wa, or/<2. 55,47o . . Des Moines'.62,139 

Kan'-sas, Kan .81,700 . . To-pe'-ka.33,608 

Ken-tu€k'-y, .40.000. . Frank'-fort. 9,487 

Lgu-i-§i-a'-na, La .45.420 . . Bat'-dn Bonge (roozh). . 11,269 

MMne, Me . 33.055 • • An-gfis'-ta.11,683 

Ma'-ry-land, Md. . 9,860 . . In-nap'-o-lis. 8,402 


LESSON 223. 

States and territories. 

They love their land, because it is their own. 

And scorn to give aught other reason Mfhy.—Halleck. 


iTATE OR TERRITORY. SQ. MILES. CAPITAL. CENSUS OF I9OO. 

Mas-sa-chu'-setts, Mass . 8,040 . . Bds'-t6n .560,892 

Mi^h'-i-gan, Mich . 57>43o • . Lan'-sing. 16,485 

Min-ne-so'-ta, Minn .79.205 .. St. Paul' .163,065 

Mis-sis-sip'-pi, Miss . 46,340 • • Jack'-s6n. 7,816 

Mig-sou'-ri, il/f?.68,735. . Jef'-fer-son . . . . 9,664 

M6n-ta'-na, Mont .145,310 . . Hel'-e-na .10,770 

Ne-bras'-ka, . 76,185. . Lin'€ 61 n. 40,169 

Ne-ya'-da, Nev .109,740 . . ■Car'-sdn ^it-^ . 2,100 

New Hamp'-shire, N. H. . 9,005 . . fJ<Jn'-€drd. 19,632 

New Jer'-gey, N. /. . 7,455 • • Tren'-tdn. 73.307 

LESSON 224. 

States and territories. 

Teach erring man to spurn the rage of gain 
Teach him, that States, of native strength possessed, 


Though very poor, may still be vety blessed.— Goldsmith- 


STATE OR TERRITORY. 

SQ. MILES. 

CAPITAL. 

CENSUS OP 1900. 

New Mex'-i-eo Ter., N. Mex. 

Ter. 122,000 . 

. San-ta Fe' . . . 

.... 5,603 

New York', N. Y. . 

. . . 47,620. 

. Al'-ba-ny .... 

. . . . 94,151 

North ■€ar-o-lI'-na, N. C. . . 

. . . 52,240 . 

. Eal'-eigh . . . 

.... 13,643 

North Da-ko'-ta, .V. Dak. . . 

. . . 75,000. 

. Bis'-marek . . . 

• • * • 3,319 

O-hi'-o, 0 . 


. €o-lum'-bus . . . 

.... 125,560 

Ok-la-ho'-ma, Okla . 

. . . 4,687 . 

.Guth'-rie. . . . 

.... 10,006 

Or'-e-gon, Or . 

. . . 94,560 . 

. Sa'-lem. 

.... 4.258 

Penn-sj^l-ya'-ni-a, Pa . 

. . . 44,985 • 

. Har'-ris-bhrg . . 
|Prdy'-i-denQe . 

.... 50,167 

.... 175,597 

Rhode Isl' and, R. I. . 

. . . 1,088 . 

' (New'-port • . . 

.... 22,034 

South •€ar-o-li'-ii&, S. C. . - 

. . . 30,170 . 

. €0 Idm'-bi-i . . 

. . . . 21,108 








































116 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


LESSON 225. 

states and 'Territories, 

‘ What constitutes a State ? 

Not high raised battlements or labored mound, 
Not cities proud with spires and turrets crowned 
No ; men, high-minded men.” 


STATE OR TERRITORY. 

SQ. MILES. 

CAPITAL. 

CENSUS OF 1900. 

Sonth Da-ko'-ta, S. Dak . 

. 76,620 . 

. Pierre (pe-ar') . 


2,306/ 

Ten-nes-see', Tenn . 


. Nash'-yille . . . 


80,865 

TSx'-as, Tex. . 

. 265,780 . 

. ^us^-tln. 


22,258 

U'-tah, Utah . 

. 82,190 . 

. Salt Lake ^W-f . 


53.531 

Ver-m 5 nt', Vt . 


. Mdnt-pe'-lier. . 


6,266 

Vlr-gin'-i-a, Va . 

. 40,125 . 

. Ricli'-mond . . . 


85.050 

Wash'-ing-tdn, Wash . 

. 66,880 . 

. O-lfm'-pi-a . . . 


4,082 

W6st VIr-gIn'-i-a, W. Va. . . , 

. 24,645 • 

. Charle§'-ton . . 


11,099 

Wis-eSn'-sin, Wzs: . 

• 54.450 ' 

. Mad'-i-son . . . 


19,164 

Wy-o'-mlng, Wyo . 

. 97,575 • 

. ^hey-enne'(shi-en') • . . 

14,087 


LESSON 226. 

I^ARGHS'T CIXIHS OP XHP WORT,D. 

There is such a difference between the pursuits of men in great cities that one part of the 
inhabitants live to little other purpose than to wonder at the r^si.—Johnson. 


CITY. 

COUNTRY. 

POPULATION. 

im'-ster-dam, . 

. Hol'-land. . . . . 


int'-werp, . 

.BH'gi-um . 


Bang-kdk', . 

. Si-am' . 

. (estimated) 250,000 

Bar-§e-lo'-iia (or bar-tha-)j • • • 

. Spain .. 


Belfast', . 

. Ire^-ldnd . 


Ber'-lin (or ber'-leen),. 

. Pries'-si-a (prush'-l-a) . 1,843,000 

Blr'-ming-ham,. 

. Eng'-land (ing'-) , 


Bom-bay', ... 



Bor-deaux' (-do'), . *. 

. France . 


Brad'-ford, . 

. Eng'-land . 


Bres'-lau, . 

. Pries'-si-a . 


Brfis'-selg, . . .. 

. Bel'-gt-Hm .. . . 561,130 

Bu-«ha-rgst', . 

. Rou-md'-ni-a . , . . 


Bn'-da-pesth, . 

. Hun'-ga-ry . 


Bue'-ii6s iy'-reg (bo'-), . 

. Ar'-gen-tine Re-pub'-lie, S. A . , 663,854 

•€ai'-ro, . 

. E'-gypt . . 


€al-«fit'-t4, . 



Carls'-bad, . 

. Aus'-tri-a . . . . , 


•€aii-t6ii', . 

Chi'-na 

. (estimated) 1,600,000 

€o-16giie'(Ion'),. 

. Ger'-ma-ny .... 

. 321,564 













































SPELLING AND DEFINING. 


117 


LESSON 227 . 

lUarsrest Cities of tlie World. 

“ Trade’s proud empire hastes to swift decay, 

As ocean sweeps the labored mole away.” 

CITY. COUNTRY. 

POPULATION. 

€ 5 u-staii-ti-no'-ple, . . . 



Co-pen-ha'-gen,. 



Breg'-den,. 



/Diib'-lin,. 



£d'-in-burgh (-bbr-rfili), . 



Fdb-ChooS. 



Geii'-o-a,. 

. It'-a-ly . 

. 232,777 

Glas'-gow,. 



Ham'-bbrg,. 



Ha-van'-a, . 

. Cu'-ba . 

.200,000 

HeF-del-berg,. 


. 31.737 

Ki-o'-to,. 



Li§'-b6n,. 



Lisle (leel),. 



Liv'-er-pdbl,. 



L6n^-d6ii,. 



Ltiek'-now,. 



Ly'-on§?. 



Mad-rid',. 



Man'-ches-ter,. 



LESSON 228 . 

I^arifest Cities of tbe World. 

The city is an epitome of the social world. All the belts of civilization intersect along its 

avenues and it contains the products of every moral zone.—Chapin. 

CITY. COUNTRY. 

POPULATION. 

Mar-seilleg' (mar-salz')j • 



MeF-bofinie, . 



Mll'-aii or Mi-lan' .... 



M6s'-€ow,.. . 


. 988,614 

Mu'-ni-eh,. 



Na'-ple§,. 



N 5 f-tiiig-ham,. 



O-des'-sa,. 



Par'-is,. 



Pe'-king or Pe-kin', . . . 


(estimated) 1,000,000 

RI'-o Ja-nei'-ro,. 


. 522,651 

Shang'-ha! or Shapg'-hi, . 

. Chi'-na ....!.. 

(estimated) 380,000 

Skef'ieid, ....... 





























































118 


BUSINESS SERIES. 


CITY. 

COUNTRY. ] 

POPULATION. 

Std-ek'-holm, . . . 



St. Pe'-ters-bhrg, . 



. 



T 6 '-ky- 5 ,. 



Tu'-rin or Tu-rin', . 




Vi- 5 n'-na,. 

. Aus-irt^-a . 

. 1.364,548 

Wsr'-sftw,. 

LESSON 229 . 

IMIOX'rilS AXD DAYS. 


“A life of sober week days, with a solemn Sabbath at their close,” 


Jan'-u-a-ry, . . . . 

.Jan. 

De-§em' ber,. 


Feb'-r]|-a-ry, .... 


Sun'-daj^, . 


March,. 


Mdn'-day,. 


i'-pril,. 


Tue§'-daj^, . 

. . . Tues. 

May, . 


Wedneg'-daj^ (wenz'-df),. 

. . .Wed. 

June,. 


Thur§'-daj^,. 


. 

.July. 

FrF-da^,.. 

. . . .Fri. 

. 

.Aug. 

Sat'-ur-daf,. 


Sep-t 5 m'-ber, . . . 


Chro-ndF-o-gy, n. The science which 

d«-t6'-ber,. 

.Oct. 

treats of measuring or 

computing 

No-ySm'-ber, .... 


time by regular divisions 

or periods. 


LESSON 230. 

DICXA'TIOX KXHRCISK. 

Remorseless Time! 

Fierce spirit of the glass and scythe! What power 
Can stay him in his silent course, or melt 
His iron heart to pity! On, still on. 

He presses, and forever. The proud bird, 

The condor of the Andes, that can soar 
Through heaven’s tmfathomable depths, or brave 
The fury of the northern hurricane. 

And bathe his plumage in the thunder’s home, 

Furls his broad wing at nightfall, and sinks down 
To rest upon his mountain crag; but Time 
Knows not the weight of sleep or weariness. 

And Night’s deep darkness has no chain to bind 
His rushing pinion. 

Time the tomb-builder, holds his fierce career. 

Dark, stem, all pitiless, and pauses not 
Amid the mighty wrecks that strew his path. 

To sit and muse, like other conquerors. 

Upon the fearful ruin he hath wrought— Geo. D. Prentice. 

































Practical Letter Writing 


A TEXT BOOK 


Giving complete information regarding the construction, forms, punctuatiou, 
and uses of the different kinds of letters ; also the correct forms and 
uses of notes and cards ; together with exercises for practice. 

Designed for use in all schools giving instruction in this important subject, 

and also as 


A REFERENCE BOOK 


For everybody who ever has occasion to write letters 


BY 

H. T. LOOiV IS, 

Formerly Principal of the Spencerian Commercial School, Cleveland, Ohio 
Teacher in Bryant’s College, Buffalo, N. Y.; and Associate 
Principal of the Detroit Business University. 



Cleveland, Ohio: 

The Practical Text Book Company, 
Publishers. 


TABLE OF CONTENTS, 


Preface... 

Introduction.. 

Letters . 

Materials. 

Heading of Letters.. 

Models of Heading. 

Introduction to Letters. 

Models of Introduction. 

Body of Letters.. 

Conclusion of Letters.. 

Models of Conclusion. 

Folding. 

The Superscription. 

Models of Superscription.. 

The Stamp. . 

Things to know about our Postal System .. 

The Post Office Department . 

Some Don’ts. 

Diction and Construction. 

The Right Word. 

Capitals. 

Punctuation. 

Miscellaneous Hints. 

Letters of Introduction. 

Letters of Application. 

Letters of Credit .. . 

Letters of Recommendation. 

Letters Acknowledging Receipt of Money 

Letters Ordering Goods.. 

Letters Enclosing a Remittance. 

Letters Enclosing Invoice. 

Public Letters. 

Letters of Congratulation. 

Letters of Condolence. 

Telegrams. 

Advertising.. 

Notes and Cards. 

Wedding Invitations. 

Dinners. 

Parties. 

Acceptances and Regrets. 

Cards . 

Titles . 

General Postal Information. 

To Stenographers. 

Classification of Titles. 

Forms of Address and Salutation. 

Catholic Titles and Forms. 

Catholic Abbreviations. 

Classified List of Abbreviations. 

Exercises. 

Index.... 


Page 


121 

123 

125 

128 

129 
129 
132 

134 

137 


138 

142 

143 


146 


147 

151 

152 

154 

157 

158 

160 

172 

174 

185 

194 

195 

196 


197 


198 

199 

200 
204 

204 

205 
205 
207 
209 

209 

210 
212 

212 

213 

214 
216 
221 
223 
228 


233 

237 

241 

243 

245 

350 


Copsrrighted, 1397, by The Practical Text Book Company, 


























































PREFACE. 


|M O ARGUMENT is necessary to show that a text-book on cor¬ 
respondence is needed. The average student can solve 
difficult arithmetical problems, analyze ‘ Paradise Lost, ’ or read 
Greek, before he knows the requirements of an ordinary business 
letter. Much of the business done at the present day is by cor¬ 
respondence, and the only writing that many persons do is com¬ 
prised in their letters. One’s habits and abilities are judged by 
his letters,— and usually correctly. If he writes a well-arranged, 
neat, business-like letter, he is given credit for possessing like 
qualities in business. But if his letter is awkwardly worded, 
slovenly and carelessly written, we conclude he possesses similar 
traits of character. It is important, therefore, that early train¬ 
ing be given in neatness, correct forms, and established customs 
in writing letters. 

The qualifications necessary to enable a person to write a good 
business or social letter are a fair English education, ready com¬ 
mand of language, and good general knowledge of the affairs of 
life. These may all be acquired if the student does not possess 
them. To be a good correspondent one must be able to think 
intelligently, and to display business tact. * 

Business letters should be clear, concise, and explicit. There 
should be nothing in them that is defective, superfluous, or am¬ 
biguous. To be able to write a good letter is one of the impor¬ 
tant qualifications of an applicant for a business position. This 
work is designed to be a school text-book on business letter 
writing; and, as a book of reference, a complete guide to estab¬ 
lished rules and usages governing social and official letters, 
invitations, cards, etc. 

The instruction in business letter writing is equally applicable 
to all other classes of letters. The forms given, and the sugges¬ 
tions concerning social letters, invitations, cards, etc., are suffi¬ 
cient to meet the requirements of most persons. 

The forms and illustrations under the various headings clearly 
show the arrangement of all kinds of letters and how to direct 



122 


PREFACE. 


envelopes. The engraved forms, the explanations, and the 
instruction, will enable students, it is hoped, to write good orig¬ 
inal letters, ability which they would never acquire by merely 
copying the letters given in most books on letter writing. The 
script models will serve as excellent copies in the development 
of neat, plain, and beautiful penmanship. 

To the Teacher. — The exercises to be prepared by students 
should be neatly and carefully written and systematically 
arranged. The letters should be written and folded, and the 
envelopes directed, exactly as if they were to be mailed. This 
should be insisted upon by the teacher. No untidy or careless 
work should be accepted, and pupils should be required to adhere 
to the forms prescribed for the various letters. 

The exercises and letters written by students should be care¬ 
fully corrected and returned to them. The teacher should 
require students to rewrite and return to him letters containing 
many errors. One letter a week or month from each student 
may be preserved to show his progress. Such errors as come 
from carelessness rather than from a lack of knowledge should 
not be tolerated. Nothing short of the best a student can do 
should be accepted. 

To suggest methods of making errors, we give, with a series 
of lessons, a corrected letter. The teacher may add to the inter¬ 
est and value of the lessons by occasionally reading meritorious 
or faulty letters to the class, pointing out the more common 
errors, and calling attention to superiority in arrangement and 
construction. 

The student is urged to give to this subject the attention it 
merits; to study thoroughly the forms and explanations; to 
follow the instructions given; to write neatly and carefully his 
letters and exercises; to note corrections and try to avoid the 
same errors thereafter. We are sure he will be amply rewarded 
by the kno'^ledge and proficiency thus gained. 







INTRODUCTION. 



EARS ago letter writing was a part of the most serious busi¬ 


ness of life. To many well-informed persons, who had 
leisure, and whose minds were cultivated, writing long letters 
was a luxury only equalled by the joy of receiving long letters 
from distant friends; but in these busy days, the old-fashioUed 
letter is replaced by brief notes, telegrams, or telephonic messages. 

Much of the best literature of the world has taken the form 
of letters. Men were in the habit in the olden days of putting 
themselves into their letters. Their epistles were not mere 
records of happenings, events, or expressions of opinion, but, in 
many instances, a careful reader observing what was between 
the lines would be able to judge very fairly the true character of 
his correspondent. 

The phrase “ Show me the company a man keeps, and I will 
show you what kind of a man he is, ’ ’ might be supplemented 
with ‘ ‘ Show me the letters a man writes, and I will tell you what 
manner of man he is.” 

A letter that is worth writing, is worth writing carefully. A 
slovenly letter is indicative of a slovenly man, and there is surely 
no compliment, but rather disrespect, in sending such a letter to 
one’s friends. Do not be afraid to write and re-write until a 
sentence is as nearly perfect as you can make it. From this 
practice you will acquire skill in composition. Prominent liter¬ 
ary men and women do not allow their compositions to appear 
in print until they have been re-written, corrected, and improved 
many times. Charles Darwin’s manner of writing was, first, to 
make a rough copy, then have a fair copy made and corrected, 
then a new copy made, once more corrected, and sent to the 
printer; the printer’s proofs were then corrected in pencil, recon¬ 
sidered and written in ink; and then he was glad to have cor¬ 
rections and suggestions from others. 

To make writing effective, the ideas to be expressed should 
be distinct and clear in the mind of the writer. Before writing, 
one should consider first what to say and next how to say it. He 
should be interested, also, in the subject about which he writes. 
It is difficult to say fitting words about anything in which one 
has no real interest. 



.. I 



































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































LETTERS, 


f 



LYING over this wide world of ours are millions of 
white-winged messengers bearing communications 
from one person to another—written talks upon 
paper, called letters. The style, length, and form of a 
letter, are determined by circumstances. Letters to equals 
and superiors should be respectful; to inferiors, courteous; 
to friends, familiar; to relatives, affectionate. 


“ The primary idea of a letter is conversation at a distance. If this be kept 
in mind, one can scarcely fail to write appropriately, if one can converse 
properly. A letter may be reserved, dictatorial, or dignified, according to the 
relations between the writer and the person addressed.” 


Letters may be classified as Social, Business, Public, and 
Miscellaneous. 

2. Social Letters are letters of sentiment; and embrace domestic 
or family letters, letters of affection, introduction, congratulation, 
condolence, advice, and all letters that are prompted by friendship 
or love. 

3. Business Letters* —A business letter is a letter on public, 
private, or personal business. There are two classes of business 
letters. A personal business letter includes letters of merchants, 
bankers, manufacturers, and others in connection with their busi¬ 
ness, either as firms or individuals. An official letter is one written 
by or to a public officer on business pertaining to his ofiice. This 
class embraces the letters of various officers of a city, state, or nation. 

Business letters include all correspondence bearing upon the 
writer’s financial, professional, or official relations to other people. 
Business, as well as social letters, especially if one read between the 
lines, show the character of the writer. They may encourage confi¬ 
dence, respect and friendship, or may give an impression that the 
writer is thinking only of himself in the matter and writes with selfish 
motives. While the former style would promote business, the latter 
would rather repel it. Most business letters, without necessarily • 
being written at length, may bear on their face the stamp of candor, 
honesty, and fairness. Ordinary business letters should be brief. 




126 


LETTER WRITING. 


clear, and pointed. Point is secured by confining the message to the 
specific business ; brevity, by using the fewest words ; clearness, by 
the use of simplicity and accuracy of expression. To make these 
possible one should have good command of the English language; 
or he should at least know how to write it correctly. A graceful 
sentence, full of meaning, appears nowhere to better advantage than 
in a business letter. It indicates that the writer is clear-headed and 
capable. On the other hand, an abbreviated, meaningless style of 
composition suggests disorder, haste, and inefficiency. A poorly 
written letter may require one or two other letters to explain away 
its blunders. 

4. Public Letters embrace communications to newspapers, and 
reports or essays addressed to some person or persons, but intended 
for publication. They are letters in form only. Frequently a 
writer publishes a letter addressed to some prominent person, criti¬ 
cising his actions or opinions, or asking him a number of questions 
with the view of receiving a published reply. Such a communica¬ 
tion is usually called an “open letter.” 

5. Letters of Friendship are those that pass between friends or 
acquaintances. They should usually be written in the style you 
would use in talking with your correspondent. Do not allow your¬ 
self to drop into a vein of familiarity that you would not use in 
speaking to the same person. It is the incidents of every-day life, 
the little things, that make a letter of friendship interesting. 

6 Letters of Courtesy include invitations, acceptances, regrets, 
letters of introduction, recommendation, congratulation, and condol¬ 
ence. All such letters are more formal in style than letters of 
friendship. 

7. Miscellaneous Letters include those of an unusual character, 
and that are not elsewhere classified. 

The styles and uses of the various kinds of letters are fully 
explained under appropriate headings, but we shall first examine 

The Structure of Letters, which includes Materials, Head¬ 
ing, Introduction, Body, Conclusion, Folding, Envelope, Address, 
Stamp, etc. 

To enable the pupil to recognize readily the component parts of a 
letter bv their names, a skeleton letter is given on the following page. 




MARGIN. 


SKELETON LETTER 


127 


8- SKELETON LETTER. 


HEADING. 


ADDRESS. 


SALUTATION. 


BODY. 



ft 


BODY. 




COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE. 


SIGNATURE. 








































128 


LETTER WRITING. 


MATERIALS. 


9. Paper. —The paper used in letter writing, whether foi 
business or social purposes, should be of good quality; both on 
account of the better work that can be done with good paper, 
and because of the impression it makes on one’s correspondent. 
We judge people largely by the surroundings they choose, and the 
kind of tools with which they work. 

Size. —There are so many styles and sizes of paper used for social 
purposes that one cannot be governed by any fixed standard. 

In business, the sizes most used are note paper, about 6 by 9 
inches, and letter paper, about 8 by 10 inches. 

Color.—White paper is almost universally used in business 
correspondence, although tinted paper is preferred by some. In 
social correspondence many different tints are used, and any delicate 
tint is appropriate. Strong colors should be avoided. 

10. Envelopes.—The envelopes should correspond with the 
paper in color, size, and style. 

For social letters, an envelope that will admit the paper in one 
or two convenient folds should be used. 

For business letters, use an envelope that is a little larger than 
the paper after the letter is folded correctly. 

The more common sizes used in business are No. 6 (3^ by 6 
inches), and No. 6>^ (3^^ by 6^ inches). For official communica¬ 
tions, legal documents, etc., use an official envelope—usually about 
9 inches long. 

11. Pens.—Good pens should always be used, as no one can do 
his best writing with a poor pen. Steel pens are now so inexpensive 
and of such good quality, that they are almost universally used for all 
kinds of business and fine writing. 

12. Ink.—The ink should flow freely and make a fine line. 
Black ink, or writing fluid, is now used almost exclusively in all 
kinds of correspondence, and is in much better taste than colored 
ink ; besides, colored inks are liable to fade. 






HEADING. 


129 


HEADING* 


13. The heading of a letter embraces the address of the writer 
and the date. It may occupy one, two, or three dnes, a ,cording to 
the length of the address. It should never occupy more than three. 
The following is the form for an address of one lint; 


Model J, 






If writing from a large city, and your local address is not well 
known to your correspondent, your street number should first be 
given, after which, the proper order is the city, state, day of the 
month, and year, as in the following: 


Model 2. 



If writing from the country, the proper order is the post office, 
county, state, and date, as follows: 

Model 3. 



Ill writing from a small place, it is always better to give the 
name of the county: for, when that is on the envelope, it sometimes 
aids the employes of the post office department in distributing the 
mail, and may prevent errors or delay in delivery, especially if there 
are, in the same state, two or more post offices having similar names. 



130 


letter writing. 


In writing from a well-known school or public institution, it is 
customary to give its name in the heading of your letter before 
writing the address and date, in the following order, which form will 
occupy three lines, unless the address is short: 

Model 4. 



If a letter is written from a department of the state or national 
government, the name of that department is usually given in the 
heading of the letter. 

When printed letterheads are used, as they are so universally 
now by business houses, only the date needs to be written in the 
heading. 

When ruled paper is used, the heading should begin on the first 
line, about the middle of the line for letter paper, and to the left of 
the middle, if note paper is used. 

If the heading embraces two lines, the second line should begin 
nearly an inch to the right of the first, as in model 2. 

This heading may, if preferred, be arranged as follows ; 


Model 5. 



If the heading occupy three lines, begin the third as far to 
the right of the second, as that is to the right of the first, as in 
Model 4. 


On ruled paper, the first line is usually one and one-half to two 
inches below the top; the heading should begin on this line, or, in the 
case of a very short letter on ruled or unniled paper, it should be far 




HEADING. 


131 


enough from the top to make the spaces above the heading and 
below the signature about equal. 

If two or three lines are used for the heading, care should be 
taken to arrange the divisions of the heading properly on the lines ; 
for instance, in writing ‘1815 Euclid Ave.,’ it should all be on one 
line ; in writing ‘Jefferson, Ashtabula County,’ it would be incorrect 
to put ‘Ashtabula’ on one line, and ‘County’ on another. 

If the address and date are placed at the close of the letter, as is 
sometimes the case in social correspondence, they should begin on 
the next line below the signature, near the left of the page, and if 
occupying more than one line, the parts should be in the same 
relative position as when written at the beginning of the letter. The 
following is an illustration of this form : 


Model 6. 



the top. 

14. Punctuation.—The parts of the heading of a letter should be 
separated by commas, as in the models. These commas mark the 
divisions between the different parts of the heading. A period 
should always follow each abbreviation, and be placed at the end of 
the heading. It is not now customary to write the abbreviations 
‘th,’ ‘sC or ‘d’ after the figures denoting the day of the month, 
when the year is written. You should write October 1898, and 
not “October 31st, 1898.’’ 

In the body of the letter, however, or when the year is not 
written, these abbreviations must be used; as, ‘Yours of the 3 ist inst. ’ 
When the abbreviations are used, they should be written on the 
line, and not above it. 



132 


letter writing. 


INTRODUCTION. 


15. The introduction of a letter embraces the name and 
address of the party written to, and the salutation. The salutation 
is the term ‘Dear Sir,’ ‘Madam,’ etc. The name of the person 
addressed should be written on the first line following the heading, 
beginning the same distance from the left edge of the paper as the 
full lines in the body of the letter. 

16. Name and Title. —Some title should be used in the address, 
either before or after the name. The more common titles are Miss^ 
Mrs.^ Mr,y and Esq. If a gentleman have no literary, professional, 
or military title, his name should be preceded by the abbreviation 
Mr., or followed by Ksq. Do not use the title ‘Esq.’ indiscrimi¬ 
nately in business letter writing; ‘Mr.’ is to be preferred. Mr. 
and Ksq. should never both be used, either in the introduction of 
the letter or in the direction on the envelope. If you use one, omit 
the other. 

17. Two or more titles of courtesy should not be connected with 
the same name, except in cases like the following: If a married 
man have a professional or military title prefixed to his name, Mrs. 
may be used before it to designate his wife, as Mrs. Secretary 
Blaine, Mrs. Doctor Smith, etc. In writing to a clergyman, whose 
surname only is known, it is customary to address him as ‘ Rev. Mr. 
Brown.’ Two or more professional or literary titles may be used 
vith one name, as Rev. John Smith, D. Z>., LL. D. When titles 
are so used, they should be written in the order in which they are 
supposed to have been conferred. 

In addressing a firm of gentlemen, the proper title to use is 
Messrs., (abbreviation for Messieurs, French plural of Mr.); if 
young ladies. Misses; married or elderly ladies, Mesdames (pro¬ 
nounced Ma-dahm!). If the firm be composed of ladies and gentle¬ 
men, use no title. See page 233 for a full list of correct forms of 
address and salutation. 

18. The Residence^ following the name, should embrace the full 
post office address of the person to whom the letter is written, and a 
business letter should contain the full post office address of the 
writer as well. It is customary, in business letter writing, to write 





INTRODUCTION. 


133 


the address in full, and not the name only, at the beginning of a 
letter. The relative position of the lines in the address should be 
the same as in the heading; viz., each line, after the first, commenc¬ 
ing nearly an inch to the right of the beginning of the preceding line. 

When the address includes only the name of the city and state, 
write them upon the second line. If it includes the street number, 
or some other special direction, write this upon the second line, and 
the name of the city and state upon the third. 

19. Salutation*—This is the greeting at the beginning of a letter; 
the term of affection, respect, or politeness, with which we introduce 
the letter. 

It should immediately follow the heading, or name and address, 
when given, and precede the body of the letter. The wording 
depends upon the relation of the writer to the person addressed. 
The following are the salutations commonly used in business letters, 
arranged in about the order of their cordiality : 

Sir, Sirs, Madam, 

Dear Sir, Gentlemen, Dear Sirs, Dear Madam, 

My dear Sir, My dear Sirs, My dear Madam, 

The salutations employed in addressing one gentleman, are: Sir, 
used in writing to public officials, and in the most formal business 
letters; Dear Sir, the form most used in business; and My dear 
Sir, denoting more familiarity. The proper salutation in address¬ 
ing a married lady is Madam, or Dear Madam. There is no 
similar form of salutation to use in addressing an unmarried lady, 
therefore the salutation should be omitted, as in Model 8. Write 
the name and address, then begin the letter. The salutation for a 
firm of gentlemen, is Sirs, Dear Sirs, or Gentlemen. Never 
abbreviate Dear to or Gentlemen to ''Gents. An almost 

unlimited number of salutations might be given for social letters, 
such as Dear Friend, Dear Mother, My dear Smith, Friend 
Brown, Dear Charlie, etc. 

20. Position.— In business letters the address is always written 
at the beginning of the letter, but in military and official letters, the 
address is sometimes written at the beginning and sometimes at the 
close. If th e address occupy three lines, the salutation should 
begin under the initial letter of the second line, as in Model 5, or 




134 


LETTER WRITING. 


under that of the first line, as in Model 6. If the address occupy 
two lines, the salutation may begin as far to the right of the second 
line as that begins to the right of the first, as in Model 3, or under 
the initial letter of the first line, as in Model 4. The former is the 
better arrangement for a wide sheet of paper, and the latter for a 
narrow one. If the address occupy but one line, the salutation, 
or letter, should begin about one inch to the right of the marginal 
line, as in Model 2, or directly under the ending of the name, if it be 
short, as in Model i. 

21. Punctuation.—A comma should follow each part of the 
address, and a period should be placed at the end of the whole 
address, as in the Models. 

If a title follow the name, it should be separated from the latter 
by a comma, and if two or more titles are used, a comma should 
separate them. Every abbreviation must be followed by a period. 
The salutation should be followed by a colon or comma ; or, if the 
letter begin on the same line, by a comma and a dash, or a colon 
and a dash. 

22. Capitals.—Every important word of the address should be 
capitalized, and the first letter of the first and last words and of 
every noun in the salutation should be a capital. 


MODELS OF INTRODUCTION. 


23. The following forms will show the various ways in which the 
introduction may be arranged : 

Model L 









136 


MODKIvS OF INTRODUCTION. 


Model 2. 




When the address occupies two lines, the salutation may begin as in Model 3, 
or under the beginning of the name, as in Model 4, and the body of the letter 
on the same or the next line. 


Model 4 . 



Model 5, 









136 


LETTER WRITING. 


Model 6. 

















Model 7. 


c^ (^Ik^CZAy 


(^y^yc...&^iy/yerz.t^ 


This form may be used for social letters. In business letters to married 
women, adopt the arrangement in any one of Models 3, 4, 5, or 6, writing 
‘ Madam ’ or ‘ Dear Madam ’ for a salutation. 


Model 8. 



Use this form, omitting the salutation, in writing a business letter to an 
unmarried lady, or the name only, ‘ Miss Nina Raymond,’ may be used, without 
the post oflSce address. 




BODY OF THE LETTER. 


137 


BODY OF THE LETTER 

24. Thu body of a letter is th ^ communication, exclusive of the 
heading, introduction, and conclusion. 

25. Beginning.—The body of the letter should usually begin 
under the end of the salutation ; but if the address be long, as in 
Models 3, 5, and 6, it may begin on the same line, in which case a 
comma and a dash or colon and a dash, should be placed between the 
salutation and the first word of the letter, with only enough space 
for the punctuation mark and the dash. 

26. Margin.—There should always be a blank space on the left 
side of the page, but none on the right. The width of this margin 
depends upon the size of the paper. On letter paper, it should be 
one-half to three-fourths of an inch, and on note paper, about one- 
fourth of an inch. 

The margin should be even .—The habit of writing it so, may be 
acquired by at first drawing a pencil line where the lines should 
begin, or using, under the paper on which you are writing, a sheet 
of paper on which a heavy black line has been ruled. If a pencil 
line be ruled, it should always be erased after the letter is written, 
but it is better not to use the pencil line except in practicing. 

27. Paragraphs.—A letter should be paragraphed the same as 
other compositions. In dismissing one topic, mark the beginning of 
the next by a broken line that, catching the reader’s eye, prepared 
him for the change. Do not make too many paragraphs. All para¬ 
graphs, excepting the first, should begin as far to the right of the 
marginal line as the latter is to the right of the edge of the paper. 
The arrangement of paragraphs, excepting the first, should be about 
the same in written letters as in printed books. 

28. Neatness.—Never send a letter in which there are blots, 
erasures, or interlineations; it is better to copy such communica¬ 
tions. Blots and erasures are indications of carelessness and of 
liability to make mistakes. Our correspondents judge us largely by 
the appearance of our letters, and we should be careful, as far as is 
in our power, to cultivate and retain their good opinion. 

29. Penmanship.—No accomplishment can be of greater worth 
in business than good penmanship. It is an invaluable introduction 




i38 


ivETTER WRITING. 


to a business place, and often the cause of promotion. While time 
is required to make one’s accomplishments in other lines known, his 
good penmanship speaks for itself at sight. 

The penmanship should be neat, plain, and as rapid as is con¬ 
sistent with these qualities. Avoid flourishes, and write with little 
or no shade. No one can become a good penman without an effort 
on his own part, and good handwriting is almost sure to be acquired 
by those who are willing, persistent, careful, and earnest in their 
endeavor to attain it. Careful practice will constantly improve 
one’s handwriting, while carelessness may spoil a good style already 
acquired. A carelessly written letter is not only prejudicial to 
the writer and disrespectful to his correspondent, but needlessly 
consumes time of the latter in deciphering it. A man with an 
established reputation can possibly afford to write a poor hand, but 
any one starting in business life certainly cannot. 

Write no more letters than you can write well. Write plainly, 
neatly, slowly if you must, but write as well as you can; you cannoi 
afford to write otherwise. 


CONCLUSION. 


30. Thk conclusion of a letter embraces what follows the com¬ 
munication itself. 

31. Complimentary Close*—This is the phrase of respect, courtesy, 
or endearment following the body of the letter, immediately preced¬ 
ing the signature. The complimentary close should begin on the 
first blank line following the body of the letter, about the middle of 
the page from left to right, or with the initial letter directly under 
the initial letter of the address in the heading. The following 
are the most common forms of complimentary close used in business 
letters: 


Yours truly, 
Yours very truly, 
Respectfully, 

Very respectfully. 


Yours very respectfully, 
Faithfully, 

Yours faithfully, 
Sincerely, 

Sincerely yours, 


Cordially, 
Cordially yours. 
Yours gratefully. 
Yours fraternally. 





CONCLUSION. 


139 


Some of these may be further varied by transpositon of the words, 
and if the complimentary close be long, it may occupy two or three 
lines. The words used vary according to circumstances and taste, 
as in the salutation, and should correspond with it in style. 
‘Dear Sir’ or ‘Dear Madam’ being the salutation, the complimentary 
close may very properly be ‘Respectfully,’ ‘Yours truly,’ ‘Yours 
faithfully,’ ‘Yours sincerely,’ ‘Yours very truly,’ etc. ‘Respectfully’ 
or ‘Yours respectfully’ are used much more now in business letters 
than formerly. 

Some firms omit the salutation and complimentary close entirely. 
While this saves time and may be considered more business-like, 
there is hardly too much of form and cordiality now in our business 
relations, and for this reason we recommend the use of these words, 
although they are in one sense meaningless. If no salutation be 
used, the complimentary close should also be omitted. It seems 
abrupt to omit these formal words, because of their long use, but 
where the question of personal respect cannot arise, the words may 
very properly be omitted. 

For social letters, an almost infinite variety of forms might be 
given; such as, ‘Affectionately,’‘Your friend,’ ‘Your loving father,’ 
‘Ever yours,’ ‘Very sincerely yours,’ ‘Most faithfully yours,’ etc. 

32. The words used for the complimentary close are varied 
according to the relations of the parties; the complimentary close 
depends somewhat upon the salutation also, and the same words 
should not be used in both. If a person be addressed as “Dear 
Friend’’ in the salutation, the word friend should not be repeated 
in the complimentary close ; and if a person be addressed as “Dear 
Friend” in the salutation, “Respectfully” would be a very formal 
word to use in the complimentary close. The word “remain,” used 
in the complimentary close, implies previous correspondence. 

It is very, bad taste to use such endings as “Having nothing 
more to say, I will now close,” or “I must stop now as I want to 
make a call this evening,” or even “I will now close.” Bad as 
these are, it is even worse to begin a letter “I thought I would 
answer your letter,” or “I sit down and take my pen in hand,” or 
“As I have nothing else to do, I will write.” Some of these 
phrases are impertinent as well as senseless. 



140 


LETTER WRITING. 


The following are graceful conclusions to letters of friendship : 
May we meet in health and happiness, and may you be as kindly disposed 
as ever to 

Yours, 


And now farewell and fare ever well. 

Yours, 


My best wishes accompany you on what I trust will be a pleasant journey. 

Yours ever, 


And trusting you will preserve a kind remembrance of me, I remain. 

Yours most sincerely. 


The first word only of the complimentary close should begin 
with a capital. Never abbreviate a word in the salutation or 
complimentary close. Never write ‘Yours, etc.’ for the latter. 

Official letters have a more formal close than any others; such as, 
I am. Sir, 

Your obedient servant. 


I have the honor to be (or remain) 

Your obedient servant. 


I have the honor to be (or remain) 
Very respectfully. 


These forms of ofiicial etiquette are not strictly adhered to. The 
term, “Your obedient servant,’’ so generally used in ofiicial letters, 
is also a very appropriate term to use in writing to a patron or 
superior, but not in ordinary correspondence, where it would suggest 
obsequiousness or servility. 

33. Signature*—This should follow the complimentary close, on 
the next line, and end at the right edge of the paper, or near it. In 
business letters it should be the ordinary business signature of the 
person, so that if for any cause the letter is not delivered, it may be 
promptly returned to the writer from the dead letter office. Some 











CONCLUSION. 


141 


persons are in the habit of sending letters to friends without signa¬ 
ture, or of carelessly mailing important business letters unsigned. 
If the letter contain a remittance, or anything of importance, the 
name should be written in full. A letter that is miscarried from 
insufficient address, or fails for any other cause to reach the person 
for whom it is intended, is sent to the dead letter office, whence it is 
returned to the writer, if known. About $50,000.00 is lost annually 
through the failure of writers to sign their full names to letters con¬ 
taining money. Friendly letters or those not containing matters of 
business importance, may be signed in an informal manner. 

34. Write your name plainly.—Some seem to have an idea that, 
because they know their names, every person to whom they write 
will also know what they are. When they come to the close of 
their letters, they scrawl their names in such a manner that nobody 
can read them. In almost any other place we can tell from the 
context what a word is, even if it be indistinctly written, but most 
names need to be written plainly. It is not unusual for a business 
man to spend from five to fifteen minutes in trying to decipher an 
illegible signature, when, if the writer had taken five seconds more 
to sign his name, all this loss of time at the other end of the line 
would have been avoided. We have no right thus needlessly to 
consume the time of others. Resolve that you will not treat any 
one so unjustly, and form the habit of signing your name distinctly. 

35. A lady, in writing to a stranger, should sign her name so as 
not only to indicate her sex, but also whether she be single or 
married; if single, she may write the title ‘Miss,’ in parenthesis 
before her name, and if married, the title ‘Mrs.’ If she fail in this, 
her correspondent will not know whether to address her as ‘Sir,’ 
‘Miss,’ or ‘Madam.’ A married lady generally uses her husband’s 
name, or initials; as, ‘Mrs. John Smith,’ ‘Mrs. J. W. Smith.’ She 
may use her own name, and should do so if she be a widow. ^ 

36. Official signature.—A person in an official, or a prominent 
business position, may follow his name with words denoting his 
position; as, ‘John Jones, Chairman of Executive Committee;’ ‘E. 
G. Smith, Assistant Cashier,’ etc. 

37. If the address be placed at the close of the letter , instead of 
at the beginning, it should be arranged the same as when used at 







142 


LETTER WRITING. 


the head of the letter, written on the next line below the signature, 
and beginning on the marginal line, as previously stated. 

38. Punctuation*—A comma should be placed after the compli¬ 
mentary close, and if it consist of two or more phrases, they should 
be separated by commas, as in Model 4. A period should follow the 
signature. 

The address, when placed at the close of the letter, is punctuated 
the same as when written at the beginning. 


MODELS OF CONCLUSION- 


39. The conclusion should be arranged as in the following Models: 
Model U 





Model 3. 








FOLDING. 


143 


If the address be written at the close, it should be arranged as follows : 

Model 4. 



Sometimes the date only is written in the heading, when the post office 
address should then follow the name, as below : 

Model 5 * 



FOLDING. 


40. The folding of a letter is a simple matter, and it is just as 
easy to fold a letter properly as otherwise. 

41 . Letter paper* —A sheet of letter paper may be folded in two 
ways; first, to fit an ordinary business envelope, and second, to fit 
an ofiicial envelope, which is a little longer than the paper is wide. 

42. First Method.—The correct way to fold for an envelope of the 
usual size, is to make three folds; first, hold the paper as shown in 
Figure i, and fold from the bottom nearly to the upper edge of the 
paper, as in Figure 2. or far enough to fit the envelope; then turn th^ 








144 


LETTER WRITING. 


paper, as in Figure 3, and fold from the right and left edges about equal 

distances, as in Figures 4 and 5, so 
that the sheet, after being folded, 
is a little smaller than the envelope. 

Avoid folding the full width of 
the envelope from the right, leaving 
only a very narrow fold from the 
left. It is much better to make the 
folds equal from right and left 
edges of the paper, leaving the 
width of the envelope in the center. 
In making the first fold, the paper 
should not be exactly even with 
the upper edge, because the sheets would then be much harder to 
separate in unfolding. 

Care should he taken to bring 
the corner of the paper, as it is 
folded, to the edge of the sheet, 
where the fingers of the left hand 
should hold it firmly, while the fold 
is creased down with the right. If 
the fingers be soiled, use an ivory 
paper knife or other article for 
creasing down the fold, or use the 
back of the finger nail. The fold 
should be pressed down smoothly, 
but not enough to break the paper. The illustrations here given, 
will make clear the method above described. 





43. Second Method. —To 
official 


fit an 
the sheet 


envelope, fold 
from the bottom up, nearly as far as 
the envelope is wide, then from top 
down about the same distance, thus 
giving two folds and three thicknesses 
of paper. Supposing Figure 3 to 
show the full size of a sheet of letter- 
paper, this method of folding is illus¬ 
trated by Figures 4 and 5. 






FOLDING. 


145 


44. Note paper.—There are three ways in which note paper 
may be folded ; First, for the common 
sizes, which are supposed to be a little 
narrower than the envelope is long, 
you should fold the paper twice; first, 
from the bottom upward a distance a 
little less than the width of the envel¬ 
ope, and then fold the top down ; the 
paper will then be a little smaller each 
way than the envelope. This method 
is illustrated by Figures 3, 4, and 5, 
supposing Figure 3 to represent a 
sheet of note paper. 

45. Second , if the envelope be shorter than the width of the paper, 
the latter should be given two folds; first, from the bottom nearly 
to the top, and then from the right nearly to the left edge of 

the paper; this method of folding gives 
four thicknesses of paper or eight if it be 
a double sheet at first. It is very rarely 
necessary to use this style of folding. 

46. Third, for a large, square envelope, 
such as ladies often use, if the paper be 
made to match, as it should be, only one 
fold is necessary, from the bottom to the 
top, as in Figure 2. 

47. Putting letter into envelope.— 
There is a right way to do even this; take the envelope in the 
left hand with the opening up, and the back of the envelope 
toward you, then with the right hand place the letter in the envel¬ 
ope, putting in first the part last folded; in this way the corners of 
the paper do not catch in putting it in, 
and the letter, when taken out, is right 
side up when opened. See Figure 6. 

Unless there be something to enclose 
later, it is well to form the habit of 
sealing the envelope as soon as the 
letter is placed therein. Always direct 
the envelope before inserting the letter. 





6 







146 


LETTER WRITING. 


THE SUPERSCRIPTION. 

48. The superscription (direction upon the envelope), consists 
of the name and title of the person addressed, and his residence or 
post office address; the latter is usually the same as the inside address. 
The name and address should be plainly written, and care taken to 
put the letter into the right envelope. People have been placed in 
very embarrassing situations, because of carelessness in this matter ; 
a young man has been known to send his laundress a letter intended 
for his sweetheart, and his sweetheart a letter begging more time for 
the payment of his laundry bill. 

49. Titles. —Politeness requires that some title be used on the 
envelope ; a professional or official title, if the person have one, and 

Model 1. 



if not, a common title ; as, Mr.^ Esq., etc. Many business men dis¬ 
pense with this formality at the present day, to save time. 

If a business letter be written to a person acting in an official 
capacity, his office should be designated in the address; as, ‘ Chauncey 
M. Depew, Pres, of N. Y. C. R. R. Co.’ 

A list of the proper titles to use in addressing various persons in 
prominent positions, is given on page 228. 

50. Residence.—By the residence we mean the full post office 
address. If a person lives in a large city, it includes the number 
and street (or post office box), city, and state—as in Models 2,3, and 






If not called for in 10 days, 
return to 

O. 3. HtTMPHRETS. 


SUPERSCRIPTIONS. 


147 


















148 


LETTER WRITING. 


4; if in the country, it means the post office, county, and state—as 
in Model i. The state is sometimes omitted in writing to persons 
in large and well-known cities, but this is not a good custom, as there 
are usually several smaller places in the country by the same name, 
and postal clerks generally look in the right lower corner first, for 
the state. They can handle letters with less delay if the name of 
the state be given; and, abbreviating as we do in writing them, it 
takes but an instant of time to give the name of the state. 

51. Arrangement and Position*—The writing should be in 
straight lines, parallel with the upper and lower edges of the 
envelope. The upper edge is the one that opens, and should be 
farthest from you, when you direct the envelope. 

If a person have difficulty in getting lines straight and parallel 
with the edges, he may rule, with heavy black lines, a sheet of 
paper a little smaller than the envelope, and place it inside of the 
envelope while writing, being careful to remove it before putting in 
the letter. If the envelope be so thick that the lines do not show 
through, the next best plan is to rule very light pencil lines, and 
erase them after the writing is dry. Never line with a pin, or any 
other sharp-pointed instrument, and dispense with all aids as soon as 
possible. 

The name should be written a little below the middle of the 
envelope, commencing far enough to the left so that the spaces on 
the right and left of it are about equal; each subsequent line in 
the address should commence a little farther to the right than the 
preceding one, and all should be so arranged that the state is written 
near the right lower corner. The relative order for reading the parts 
of an address is as follows: 

For a city address, Name and Title, Number and Street, City, State. 

For a country address, Name and Title, Post Office, County, State. 

The county, and number and street are usually placed in the 
left lower corner on a line with the state, as in Models 1,3, and 4; 
for, by having one less line to the right, that part of the address is 
more easily read. The number of the post office box may occupy a 
line following the name, or be written in the left lower comer, as in 
Model 4. 







THB SUPERSCRIPTION. 


149 


If a letter is to be delivered in the city in which it is written, it is 
better to use the word ‘ City * to take the place of the post office 
and state. In such cases the address consists of name, street num¬ 
ber, and word ‘ City,* and should occupy three lines, as in Model 5. 

To show due respect to the person in whose care a letter is sent, 
and to give proper prominence to official titles, the words ‘ Care of 

-,’ and such titles as ‘ Superintendent of Public Instruction,' 

‘ General Passenger Agent Erie Railway,* etc., may be written on the 
line following the name, between that and the post office. If the 
official title be short enough, it may be placed after the name, on the 
same line. 

Do not use the word ‘ To* before a name, and omit the ‘Num¬ 
ber,* or the character (#) that is sometimes used for it, in writing 
the number of a street. ‘ 114 Superior St.' cannot mean anything 
but No, 114 Superior St., therefore, the ‘ No.* or * is superfluous, 
and detracts from the distinctness of the address. For the same 
reason write ‘ Box 24* instead of “P. O. Box 24.’* It is not likely 
that your letter would be put into a wood-box or wagon-box. 

The words ‘ General Delivery ’ or ‘ Transient ’ should be writ¬ 
ten near the left lower corner of the envelope, in addition to the 
regular address of persons staying in a city only temporarily; the 
letter would not then be delivered to a resident of the same name. 

If a letter be sent by a friend, his name should be written in 
the left lower corner. 

Some urge that the order of addresses here given be reversed, and the 
name of the state be written first, because that is the order in which postal 
employes read the address. We do not believe this is sufficient reason for 
changing a long established custom. If postal clerks know where to look for 
each portion of the address, they can read it as quickly in the form now in 
use, and this style of address certainly has a better appearance on the envel¬ 
ope ; besides, at the office of delivery the present form gives the order in 
which the parts of the address are read. 

52. Legibility.—The direction on the envelope should be plainly 
written, especially the state and post office. Some of the abbre¬ 
viations which are used for the names of the states are so similar 
in form, that it is especially important they should be written 
plainly; as, N. /., N, Y,; Mo., Me.; Neb., Nev. 6,464,870 
pieces of mail matter were sent to the dead letter office in one 
year for various reasons. Of these, 435,416 were misdirected^ 
and 18,895 were not directed at all. 




150 


letter writing. 


53. Sclf-addrcsscd Envelopes.— To save your correspondents 
trouble, and insure accuracy of address, an envelope a size 
smaller than the one in which your letter is sent, and with your 
own address printed upon it, may be inclosed. These are espe¬ 
cially useful for enclosing- in letters requiring an answer. Or, 
an envelope of the same size may be enclosed by folding it once. 

54. A special request envelope is one with a card, giving your 
name and address, in the left upper corner, as in Model 2. This 
card may also indicate your business, and serve as an advertise¬ 
ment. 

All letters that for any reason are not delivered to the party 
addressed, are sent to the dead letter office, unless they have this 
card on the envelope. If you desire your uncalled-for letters 
returned promptly, this card may be preceded by the clause, ‘ If 

not called for in-days, return to,’ as in Model 2. The special 

request may be written if you do not use printed envelopes. En¬ 
velopes simply giving your name and address, are supposed to 
be returned in thirty days. 

55. Sealed letters are returned without payment of additional 
postage, if the envelope bear you name and address. 

56. Packages that appear to the postmaster to have sufficient 
value to warrant it, are returned to the sender if his address be 
on the package, and the return postage collected at the original 
mailing office. Circulars, catalogues, etc., are returned only 
when their wrapper bears the special request, ‘ Please return to 
-, ’ etc., and then the return postage is collected as on packages. 

57- Punctuation.—A comma should be used after each part of 
the address, excepting the last, which is followed by a period. 
If a title follow the name, a comma should be used between the 
name and the title; if two titles be added, place a comma between 
them. A period should follow each abbreviation. 

58. Capitals.—All important words, and all abbreviations 
should begin with capitals. Ordinarily, every word in the super¬ 
scription is capitalized. 

Notice carefully the arrangement, position, and punctuation 
of the sample envelope addresses given in the accompanying 
Models. 

















K 







THE STAMP. 


161 


THE STAMP, 


59. No DOMESTIC LETTER, —that is, a letter directed to any 
post office in our own country,—will be forwarded until one two- 
cent stamp is placed thereon. If the letter be over-weight and bear 
one two-cent stamp, the Department will collect the remainder o^ 
the postage from the person to whom it is addressed. It is always 
better, however, to see that the postage on your letters is fully pre¬ 
paid before they are sent out. If one full rate be not prepaid, the 
writer is notified, if his name can be ascertained; and, if not, the 
person addressed is informed that a letter addressed to him is helc 
for postage and that it will be forwarded upon the receipt of postage 
for the required amount. 

60. Position.—The stamp should be placed on the right upper 
corner of the envelope, about one-eighth of an inch from the end, 
and the same distance from the upper edge ; it should be right side 
up, with the edges parallel with the edges of the envelope. Placing 
a stamp on the envelope at random, is an evidence of carelessness, 
and disrespect for your correspondent. It is just as easy, and takes 
no more time, to put the stamp in the proper place. 

61. Amount.—The present rate of postage on letters is two cents 
an ounce, and each fraction thereof; th^t is, if the letter weigh 
any more than one ounce, it requires more than one stamp. An 
abstract of the latest postal laws in regard to rates, is given on 
page 221. 



Thc above Illustration shows the Correct Location of the Stamp on an Envelope. 







152 


LETTER WRITING. 



The Fast Mail of the L. S. & M. S. Ry. 


THINGS TO KNOW 

In Dealing With the United States Post Office Department* 


62. Figures of the dead letter office show that five-sixths of the causes of 
mail being miscarried is due to ignorance or carelessness on the part of the 
public. 

63. Always include the state in the direction on your envelope. There 
are about twenty different places by the name of Buffalo among the post offices 
of this country, and about thirty other post offices the names of which are com¬ 
pounded from B ' alo, as Buffalo Mills, etc. 

64. The writer of a letter may recall it before delivery to the addressee. 
Application for such return should be made at the post office where the letter 
is mailed, and the proper blank filled out, giving a description of the letter, 
etc., when the postmaster will telegraph the postmaster at the office of delivery^ 
recalling the letter, the writer to pay the cost of telegram. If the letter has 
not yet been mailed, the writer may, upon identifying the letter to the satisfac¬ 
tion of the postmaster, withdraw it from the post office. If the stamp has been 
canceled, the letter cannot be remailed unless the postage is again prepaid. 

65. It is a violation of the postal laws to send dunning communications on 
postal cards ; they should always be mailed under cover of envelopes. A 
simple statement of account may be written upon a postal card, and the Depart¬ 
ment does not consider the usual legal notice sent out by tax collectors, that tax 
is due, written or printed on postal cards, to be unmailable, nor notices from 
banks that they hold drafts for collection. 

66. Before paying a money order, the paying official, to satisfy himself that 
the person presenting it is the one entitled thereto, compares the order with 
the advice, and if the applicant for payment be unknown to him, he asks 
him his name, also the name and address of the sender, and he may require him 





THINGS TO KNOW. 


153 


to prove his identity by calling in a mutual acquaintance. Although money 
orders are often lost and sometimes stolen, not one in 100,000 is paid to other 
than the lawful owner. Whenever a money order has been lost, a duplicate 
will be issued therefor on receipt of an application. 

67. Any money order which is not presented for payment within one year 
from date is declared invalid and not payable. A duplicate will be issued, 
however, on receipt of an application. The payee of a money order may direct 
that it be paid to another person, by filling a blank properly, on the back of the 
money order, but it is provided by law that more than one indorsement shall 
render the money order invalid. 

68. International money orders are issued payable in most of the foreign 
countries. Business with European countries is continually in their favor, due, 
probably, to the fact that many emigrants from those countries send a portion 
of their earnings to relatives at home. The balances thus arising are liquidated 
by bankers’ bills of exchange purchased in New York. The rates for 
international money orders are twice the domestic rates for like amounts. 

69. The habit of scanning the address on an envelope after it has been 
directed, would avoid many errors. This would prevent nine-tenths of the 
mistakes due to deficient or erroneous addresses, and would at least correct one 
absurdity ; viz., the annual receipt by the dead letter office of about 35,000 
letters bearing no superscription whatever, and most of them written by busi¬ 
ness men, and containing enclosures of value. 

70. If affectionate relatives and others always gave their full names and 
addresses in letters, there would be 
1,500,000 more letters restored to their 
owners every year. 

71. If a “special delivery” stamp is put on a 
package of second, third, or fourth class matter, 

It is treated in a first-class manner; that is, it goes 
into a pouch instead of a sack, and is pushed 
through just as rapidly as a letter bearing the 
same stamp. 

72. Stamped envelopes spoiled by misdirection 
or by mistakes, or rendered useless by changes in 
firm names, addresses, etc., may be redeemed on 
presentation at the post office. 

73. Stamps cut or torn from stamped envelopes 
are not redeemable, and are not accepted in pay¬ 
ment for postage. 

74. The post office department does not redeem 
unused stamps of any kind, and will not accept 
stamps of one denomination for those of 
another. 

Stand from Which Mail is Caught 
WITHOUT SLACKING THE SPEED OF TRAINS. 






154 


LETTER WRITING. 


SOME FACTS 

ABOUT OUR POSTAL SYSTEM* 





HE business of the post office is the greatest 
business in the world; yet, through proper sub¬ 
division of the work and thorough system, this 
great business is conducted with almost absolute 
accuracy. The following facts may give the 
student a better idea of the ^business done by 


the United States Post Office Department, and its methods : 


75. There are more than 70,000 postmasters in the United States, and 
about 230,000 persons connected with the post office department. 

76. During three recent years 10,549 post offices were opened. 

77. Over ^25,000,000.00 is annually paid to railroad companies alone for 
carrying mail, and more than $40,000,000.00 to all classes of contractors for 
transportation of mail. 

78. More than 6,500 railway postal clerks are employed, and they traverse 
about 175,000 miles of railroad. During a recent year the number of pieces of 
mail handled by these railway clerks was 9,245,994,775, and the number of 
errors 1,691,389, or one error in every 5,466 pieces handled. 

. 79. The number of errors made by the public annually, as shown by the 
records, exceeds those made in the railway post offices by over 5,000,000. 

80. The letter-car of the mail trains is provided with a “mail catcher,” 
which is placed at a small door through which mail pouches are snatched from 
conveniently placed posts at wayside stations where stops are not made. On the 
preceding page is an illustration of the stand from which the mail bag is taken. 
Mail bags are collected in this way while the train is running at full speed. 

81. The main lines of railroads are separated into divisions, and each postal 
clerk has his regular “run” over a division of the road. From New York to 
Chicago there are three divisions, the “runs” being from New York to Syracuse, 
Syracuse to Cleveland, Cleveland to Chicago. Each crew makes three round 
trips, and is then laid off for six days, but its members are subject to extra 
duty during that time. 

82. The average number of letters handled by the clerks on each trip of an 
ocean steamer is more than 60,000, besides from 100 to 200 sacks of printed and 
general matter. The American clerks make but one error in about 4,000 
distributions, and their w’ork compares favorably with that of the railway postal 
clerks. 







SOME FACTS. 


165 



OuNARo Liner, Campania, 

ONE OF THE LARGEST AND FASTEST OF THE OCEAN STEAMERS THAT CARRY MAIL. 


83. There are about 1,600 employes in the New York post office with salarie * 
aggregating $1,300,000.00 annually, a force nearly three times as large as thtt 
employed in the post office department at Washington. 

84. Stamp canceling machines are now used in the large cities. One of 
these machines canceled, postmarked, counted, and stacked 5,000 postal cards 
in four minutes and fifty seconds, and has performed similar work on 24,000 
postal cards in an hour. In two hours and two minutes it canceled, postmarked, 
counted, and stacked 21,000 letters and 25,480 postal cards. An average speed 
of 30,000 letters and postal cards an hour is claimed for it. The time v/hen a 
letter is mailed is registered when the stamp is canceled, the hour being 
changed in the machine every thirty minutes. An electrical stamp canceller, 
it is claimed, will cancel 40,000 letters an hour; and the machine not only notes 
the year, month, and day, but the hour and minute when the letter passes 
through. 

85. In New York there are about 10,000,000 letters delivered by carriers 
every year, not to mention printed matter and packages. 

86. There are more than 600 “free delivery” offices in the country, where 
mail is delivered by carriers. Carriers in these cities deliver and collect mail from 
more than 20,000,000 people. The annual expense for the service of carriers is 
more than $10,000,000.00. 

87. In the course of a year the more than 11,000 letter carriers of the 
country deliver about, 5,500,000 registered letters, 1,050,000,000 ordinary letters, 
275,000,000 postal cards, and 600,000,000 newspapers. 

88. In the “opening” division of the dead letter office there are only 20 
clerks, but they receive, assort, count, open, and dispose of an average of 18,000 
letters and parcels every day. 

89. The safety of the mails is something wonderful. About 1,250,000 pieces 
of registered mail matter valued at nearly $1,250,000,000.00 are received in the 






156 


LETTER WRITING. 


mails annually for the post office and treasury departments alone. It is not 
practicable to state accurately the value of the remaining 15,000,000 pieces oi 
registered matter, but a close estimate gives it as 1187,550,000.00. 

90. Postage stamps are made by bank note companies, the contract being 
awarded to the lowest bidder. The processes by which postage stamps are 
manufactured are secret, and much of the patented machinery is in use for their 
mauufacture alone. The process of printing stamps is similar to that employed 
in printing money. The design is engraved upon soft steel, which is then 
hardened and a transfer is made to a roll of soft steel, which is in turn hardened. 
As many of these transfers may be made upon the metal roll as are desired, thus 
printing a large number of stamps at one time. Stamps are printed in sheets 
of 200 each, and these sheets are torn in two, there being 100 stamps in each 
sheet furnished to postmasters. Stamps are gummed by a roller which is passed 
over the sheets by machinery, applying the gum evenly over the entire surface. 
After the process of gumming is completed, the sheets are placed upon racks 
and dried by means of a series of steam pipes. If a single stamp is in any way 
mutilated, the entire sheet of 200 is burned; and 500,000 are said to be' burned 
every week from this cause. The stamps are perforated by running fifty of the 
sheets through the machine at one time, when the hundreds of punches, 
arranged for that purpose, pierce the sheets at the proper place between the 
stamps. 

91. Stamped envelopes are manufactured for the Government, in an 
envelope factory in Hartford, Connecticut. Stamped paper wrappers are also 
made at Hartford under the same contract. The United States consumes more 
stamped envelopes than any other nation in the world; over 500,000,000 are 
used in an average year. 

92. Postal cards are manufactured at Birmingham, Connecticut. A contract 
is let once in four years for making the cards, and it is estimated that 2,000,- 
000,000 cards will be needed during this time. They are made at a cost of 
about $800,000.00. 

93. Stamps, postal cards, and other supplies are usually ordered by post¬ 
masters from the Department at Washington every three months. Some of the 
large offices order every month. The New York office orders a little more 
than $2,00,000 worth of stamps and more than 4,000,000 postal cards (a car load) 
every month. The bond of the postmaster at New York is $600,000.00. Stamps, 
postal cards, and stamped envelopes are sent out to postmasters by registered 
mail, except that postal cards for Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, 
and all of the sub-agencies are supplied by freight. 

94. Every person to whom the custody of a registered article is entrusted 
must make a record of it, give a receipt for it when it is received, and take a 
receipt when he parts with it. This takes considerable time, and it would be 
almost impossible for postal clerks to make a proper record and write the 
receipt if they were required to handle each registered piece separately. To 
overcome this difficulty, a registered pouch is in use, which contains the 
registered mail between given points, and the clerk treats the pouch of mail aa 



SOME “DON’TS.” 


157 


he would a single piece, recording it and receipting for it by number. These 
pouches are locked with rotary or tell-tale locks that indicate when they are 
opened. Postal clerks are not permitted to have the keys to open the rotary 
locks; they are furnished only to postmasters who exchange registered pouches. 



Mail Carrier of 100 Years Aqo, 


SOME "DONTS*^ 


95. Don’t mail a letter until you are sure it is completely and properly 
addressed. 

96. Don’t locate the address so there will be no room for the post-mark. 

97. Don’t write the name of your own state for the name of the state 
intended ; a very common error. 

98. Don’t write the abbreviation for the state so that it may be mistaken 
for one similar in appearance. 

99. Don’t mail a letter until you are sure it is properly stamped. 

100. Don’t put the stamp anywhere on the envelope except in the right 
upper corner. 

101. Don’t forget that it is unlawful to enclose matter of a higher class in 
one which is lower, as merchandise in newspapers, and letters with photographs. 

102. Don’t mail business letters until your name and address has been 
placed in the left upper corner of the envelope, so that in case of non-delivery 
the letter will be returned to you. 

103. Don’t, when you fail to receive an expected letter, charge the postal 
service with its loss, or your correspondent with dishonesty, until you have 
written your correspondent for all the facts in regard to the matter. 

104. Don’t mail a parcel without previously weighing it, or having it 
weighed at the post office, to ascertain the proper amount of postage. 

105. Don’t wrap a parcel in such manner that the wrapper may become 
separated from the contents. 

106. Don’t mail parcels to foreign countries without understanding the 
regulations governing matter directed to such countries. 

107. Don’t fail to put your name and address in the left upper comer of 
every package before mailing it. 










158 


LETTER WRITING. 


DICTION AND CONSTRUCTION 

OF LETTERS* 


108. The diction of letters is not so formal as that of books. 
One should use common words in letters and express himself as he 
would in conversation. The language should be clear and easily 
understood. 

109. Clearness. —^The principal causes^of obscurity in composi^ 
tion are: misplaced words, phrases, and clauses; unnecessary 
words ; ambiguous use of pronouns; long sentences; misuse of 
words ; incorrect punctuation. Words should be carefully selected, 
and so placed that there may be no mistaking their meaning. In 
business correspondence, especially, a person should express himself 
so that he will not be misunderstood. Make your statements pointed 
and direct, and so clear that they cannot be misinterpreted. 

no. The Language of Letters. —The style of expression in 
letters should be much like that of conversation on the same subject. 
It should correspond to the subject, and the relation between the 
parties. To friends, familiar; to relatives, affectionate ; to chil¬ 
dren, simple and playful; to inferiors, courteous ; to superiors, 
respectful; on important subjects, impressive ; in condolence, sym¬ 
pathetic ; in congratulation, joyous. 

In business letters, fewer words are used than in conversation 
about the same matter. A literary style should not be attempted in 
writing business letters. One should speak to the point and stop 
when he has reached it. A person who is able to express himself 
clearly and effectively in conveisation will experience no difficulty 
in doing the same in his letters. One should not attempt to imitate 
others in his language, but be original in letter writing as in con¬ 
versation. Specimen letters should be used as models only for the 
form, and as suggestions of what one may write in his own way. 
Much originality of expression may be displayed even in the most 
formal and ordinary business letters. 

III. Good English. —Language, like manners, is learned for the 
most part by imitation. To become familiar with good language 
one should read the best literature, and associate with educated 




DICTION AND CONSTRUCTION. 


159 


people. A person may thus unconsciously learn to use good lan¬ 
guage, just as a child brought up among refined people generally 
has good manners. The writing in one’s letters is largely a reflec¬ 
tion of his conversation or reading. 

Public and descriptive letters admit of the use of more or less 
flowery language, but in ordinary letters, such figures should be 
used sparingly, as they would be, under like circumstances, in con¬ 
versation. Do not write about mere nothings, or repeat simply for 
the purpose of filling space. 

112. Small words* —In our letters, as in conversation, we should 

not use too many large words. Give preference to the common and 
home words of our language. Our best orators and writers use very 
few uncommon words. It is generally better to use do than 
“perform” see than “perceive” tired than “fatigued” have 
than “possess” than “Sabbath,” etc. 

113. Foreign words. —Use few if any foreign words and phrases. 
In correspondence they are usually indulged in by those who like to 
display learning, rather than by those who are the most scholarly. 

114. Slang words and phrases. —It is quite common nowadays 
to acquire in conversation, or in the street, a vocabulary of slang 
words. It is bad enough to use these in conversation, without 
putting them into writing. Do not use them in letters. 

115. Sentences. —Short sentences, particularly in business corre¬ 
spondence, are to be preferred to long ones. It is a common fault 
to run sentences together, uniting them by and and hut^ when it 
would be far better to make distinct sentences. 

116. Grammatical accuracy.—A person who has business cor¬ 
respondence to do should understand the ordinary rules of grammar, 
and though he may not express himself in every instance in the best 
form, as he would in a studied composition, he should be careful to 
avoid grammatical errors. Any one will find the reading of good 
books and papers a great aid in the correct use of language. 

117. Style. —Write legibly and with care; spell correctly; 
punctuate and paragraph carefully; avoid interlineations, erasures, 
and blots. Do not economize in paper by writing crosswise. So 
write that your correspondents may always have a higher opinion ot 
you after reading each letter. 



160 


LETTER WRITING. 


THE RIGHT WORD. 


How forcible are right words!— 

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.— Solomon. 

Accustom yourself to reflect upon the words you use, hear, or read; their 
birth, derivation, and history. For, if words are not things, they are living 
powers, by which the things of most importance to mankind are actuated, com¬ 
bined, and harmonized.— Coleridge. 

Language and thought are inseparable. Words without thought are dead 
sounds; thoughts without words are nothing. To think is to speak low; to 
speak is to think aloud. The word is the thought incarnate.— Max Muller. 

In every relation of life, at every moment of our active being, in every 
thing we think or do, it is on the meaning and inflection of a word that the 
direction of our thoughts, and the expression of our will, turn. The soundness 
of our reasonings, the clearness of our belief and of our judgment, the influence 
we exert upon others, and the manner in which -we are impressed by our fellow 
men,—all depend upon a knowledge of the value of words.— William Matthews. 

118. The following list is composed of words commonly misused. 
Many are misapplied from being similar in form or pronunciation, 
others fail to express the thought clearly, and some are wholly 
incorrect forms. “The right word in the right place” implies some¬ 
thing more than avoiding the use of the wrong word. It involves a 
careful choice from words usually, but erroneously, regarded as 
synonyms. In reality there are but few absolute synonyms in our 
language. Each word has some shade of meaning which cannot be 
exactly expressed by any other word. To enable a student to 
recognize these common errors, this list should be carefully studied, 
and reference made to it as often as necessary. 

119. A or an.—The choice between these forms is determined by sound. 
Before a consonant sound a is used; before a vowel sound an is used. 

120. Abundance applies to quantity only. It should never be used in 
reference to numbers. 

121. Accept of.—Say ‘Please accept this gift,’ not “Please accept of this 
gift.’’ 

122. Accredit, credit.—To accredit means ‘to vest with authority;’ to credit 
means ‘to believe or to put to the credit of.’ 

123. Address, direct.— A letter is addressed at the beginning to the one who 
is to read it, but directed outside to the one who is to receive it. Packages are 
always directed^ not addressed. 

124. Adjective, location of.—An adjective should be so located as to modify 
the word intended. Say ‘A cup of good coffee,’ not “A good cup of coffee” 

125. Adopts take, decide upon.—Do not say “What course will you adopt?” 
say take or decide upon. 




THE RIGHT WORD. 


161 


126. Afraid, an adjective, is often improperly used for the verb fear^ in such 
sentences as “I am afraid that he is lost.” 

127. After^ is superfluous before having; as, '■'‘After having seen him, we 
returned,” 

128. After night, means sometime the next day, and is often incorrectly 
used in referring to something done during the night. Say, ‘At night,’ or 
■iduring the night.’ 

129. Aggravate means ‘to add to or make heavier;’ it should not be used for 
irritatey which means ‘to anger or provoke.’ 

130. Agreeable, agreeably.—Say *Agreeabty to my terms,’ not agreeable. 

131. Aint, haint, taint.— Aint should never be used for ‘is not;’ haint for 
‘has not;’ nor taint for ‘it is not.’ 

132. Alike should not be coupled with both. It repeats the thought. Say 
‘They are alike,’ not ‘‘They are both alike.” 

133. All for each.—Say ‘He gave each of them a book,’ not ‘‘He gave them 
all a book.” 

134. All over.—Say ‘Over all the city,’ not ‘‘All over the city.” 

135. All, the whole.—Use all in speaking of a multitude or collection by the 
individual parts; the whole y when it is spoken of as a body. Say ‘Nearly all 
the people,’ ‘Nearly the whole society.’ 

136. Allow.—Do not say “He allows he will go,” but ‘He thinks he will go.* 

137. Allude.—To allude to a matter is to refer to it indirectly. This word 
Is often misused for speak or mention. 

138. Among, between.— Between applies to two; amongy to a greater num¬ 
ber; as, ‘He divided the apple between two boys, and the money among three 
girh,.’ 

139. And.—Say ‘I will try to go,’ not “I will try and go.” 

140. Angry.— You should say ‘Angry with a person,’ and 'at a thing.’ 

141. Answer, reply.—We answer questions, and reply to charges or 
assertions. Say ‘In answer (not reply) to your letter, etc.’ 

142 Anticipate is often misused for the simple term expect in such sentences 
as “Do you anticipate a large crowd tonight?” Anticipate means to ‘forestall; 
to take beforehand;’ as, ‘He will anticipate and prevent such action.’ 

143. Anxiety of mind.—In such sentences as “Anxiety of mind is under¬ 
mining his health,” of mind is superfluous, since anxiety has reference to a 
state of the mind. 

144. Any is superfluous in such expressions as “I am not hurt any.''"' 

145. Apparently, evidently, manifestly.— Apparently is properly used in 
referring to that which seeins, but may not be, real; evidently y to that which 
both seems and is real; manifestly is more forcible than evidently. 

146. Appreciate is misused for rise or increase in value. Appreciate means 
‘to estimate justly.’ 

147. Apt. liable, likely.—Apt means ‘quick,’ and is applicable to persons; as, 
“The pupil IS apt to learn.” Liable means ‘responsible, exposed to, or in 
danger of;’ it is applicable to both persons and things; as, “They are liable for 
the cost of the goods.” “Tall trees are liable to be struck by lightning.” “He 
is liable to get hurt.” Likely means ‘having probability,’ ‘giving reason to 
expect;’ as, “He is likely to come again.” 

148. A quarter of nine, (meaning 8:45 o’clock,) is incorrect. Say, a quarter 
to nine. 



162 


I,ETTER WRITING. 


149. Ascend up« —In the sentence, “He ascended up the mountain,” the 
word up should be omitted. It is superfluous. 

150. At is superfluous in “Where is he at 

151. At all is superfluous in such sentences as “We are not at all surprised 
at the outcome.” 

152. At, by.—Say ‘The goods were sold by (not at) auction. Sales at auction 
would indicate where goods are sold; by auction, how they are sold, the 
manner of selling. 

153. At length, at last.—When reference is made to time, at last should be 

used; as, we came to our journey’s end.” At length means‘in full,’ 

or ‘to a considerable extent;’ as, “He wrote to me at length about the affair.” 

154- Authoress, doctress, editress, poetess^ etc., should not be used in speak¬ 
ing of women in these vocations. A poet is one who writes poetry; an editor, 
one who edits,—not a man, necessarily, but a person who edits. 

155. Avocation, vocation.—A man’s vocation is his business or calling; his 
avocation, the things which take him away from his regular work. A lawyer’s 
vocation is the practice of law. If he goes fishing, that is, for the time, his 
avocation. 

156. Awful means frightful^ and is applicable to that which fills with awe. 
We may speak of an awful explosion, but should not say an azvful boy. 

157. Back is superfluous in such expressions as “They retreated back.''' 

158. Bad.—Do not say “I have a bad cold.” Say ‘A severe cold.’ As colds 
are never good, we should not say they are bad. 

159. Badly.—Do not say, “I wish very badly to do so.” Use very much^ or 
greatly^ instead. 

160. Balance is incorrectly used for remainder or rest in such expressions 
as “The balance of the day.” 

161. Beat is commonly misused for defeat; as, “He beat the other fellow 
on election day.” Beat is also misused for excelled or surpassed in such 
expressions as “She beat all her classmates.” 

162. Beautifully for beautiful.—Say ‘She looked beautiful^'' not ‘beautifully.’ 

163. Before, first.—In the sentence “Before I go, I must first be paid,” first 
should be omitted. 

164. Below and under, refer to place. They should not be used in the 
sense of less or fewer^ referring to an amount or number. Say ‘less than 
fifty,’ or ‘fewer than fifty.’ 

165. Beside, brides. — Beside is a preposition, meaning place; as, ‘He stood 
beside me.’ Besides is an adverb, meaning in addition to; as, ‘There were two 
besides me.’ 

166. Between.— Say ‘between you and vie' and not ‘‘between you and I." 

167. Between each.—Say ‘between the houses,’ not “between each of the 
houses.” Each means ‘one.’ 

168. Both is often misused for each; as, “An oak stood on both sides of the 
road.” Say ‘An oak stood on each side of the road.’ 

169. Both, each, every. — Both means two and not merely one of them; as, 

‘Both were rich men.’ Each means all of any number considered one by one- 
as, ‘Each boy was a good ball player.’ means all of any number con¬ 

sidered as composing a group or class; as, ‘Every pupil should have a 
dictionary and use it.’ 

17O; Bound^ used as an adjective in the sense of other y certain y or 
determinedy is incorrect; as, “He is bound to succeed.” 



THIl RIGHT WORD. 


163 


171- Bountiful should not be used for plentiful, large, abundant, etc., in 
such expressions as “a bountiful crop,” ‘‘a bountiful supply.” Bountifulx^i^rs 
to the source, not to the supply; as, ‘‘Up to the bountiful Giver of life.” 

172. Bring, izida—Bring implies motion in one direction; fetch, in two 
directions. We may say ‘Bring me the rake’ or ‘Go and bring me the rake;’ or, 
in the latter case, we might say ‘Fetch me the rake,’ fetch implies both 
going and bringing. Do not say ‘‘Go and fetch me the rake,” in which sentence 
go would be superfluous. 

173 - But for if,—Say ‘I should not wonder if that were the case,’ not ^^but 
that were the case.” 

174- But that.—In the sentence ‘‘There can be no doubt but that he will 
succeed,” but should be omitted. The same is true of but what. 

175- Calculate for intend or expect.—Calculate means to compute or reckon, 

and is incorrectly used in such sentences as calculated to so to New 

York.” ^ 

176. Can, may.— 3 fay asks or grants permission; can has reference to 
ability. Say ‘May I borrow your book?’ ‘You may go.’ ‘I can come.’ 

177. Can not and cannot.—When absolute inability is asserted, cannot is 
used; when mere unwillingness is meant, use can not. Examples: ‘I cannot 
hear as well as I did before.’ ‘I can not tell a lie.’ 

178. Captivate, capture.—To captivate means to fascinate; to capture, to 
take prisoner. 

179. Champion should not be used in the general sense of support. It 
should be used when one speaks of being ‘Champion of a cause.’ 

180. Character should be distinguished from reputation. Character is 
what a person is, and reputation is what he is supposed to be. 

181. Chose, chosen.—Say ‘He chose)iox in preference toothers’ and ‘She has 
chosen the red silk.’ 

182. Clear is superfluous in ‘I read the book clear through,’ and other 
similar expressions. 

183. Come, came.—Say ‘I came to town yesterday’ and ‘I have come from 
Chicago to see you.’ 

184. Compare v/ith, compare to, contrast.—Two things are compared in order 
to show the points of resemblance and difference between them; they are con¬ 
trasted in order to show the points of difference only. One thing is compared 
to another to show that the first is like the second; one thing is compared with 
another to show their difference or similarity, especially their difference. 

185. Consequence, importance.— Consequence means a result. Say ‘It is of 
no importance,' instead of ‘It is of no consequence.’ 

186. Consider means to think seriously, and is incorrectly used for think or 
regard in such sentences as ‘I consider him an honest man.’ 

187. Contemplate should not be used for intend or expect. Contemplate 
means to consider, to meditate upon. 

188. Continual, continuous.—is used of frequently repeated acts; 
as, ‘Continual dropping wears a stone.’ Continuous, of uninterrupted action; 
as, ‘The continuous flow of a river.’ 

189. Continue on.—In such expressions as ‘‘He continued on thus,” ‘‘He 
continued on his journey,” on is superfluous. It is correct to use the on in such 
expressions as ‘He continued on the road.’ 

190. Couple of for two.—Say ^two books,’ etc., but two things that 
coupled or bound together are a couple; as, ‘A couple of cars.* 





164 


LETTER WRITING. 


191. ^ Custom, habit.— Custom refers to the usages of society, or things done 
by a great number of men; habit relates to things done by the individual. 

192. Dead run, in the expression “He started on a dead run,” means simply 
'He started on a run.* 

193. Deadly, deathly.— Deathly, in the sense of resembling death, as ‘He 
was deathly pale,’ is preferable to deadly. 

194. Deal. - Say ‘A great deal’ in preference to “A good deal,’ but much is 
better than either. 

195. Decided, decisive.—A decided opinion is a strong one, though it may 
decide nothing; a decisive opinion settles the question at issue. A lawyer may 
have decided views on a case; the judgment of a court is decisive. 

196. Depot should not be used for station. Depot means a place for storing 
materials; station means a stopping or standing place. 

197. Depreciate should not be used for lessen or decrease. 

198. Detect, discriminate.—To detect is to find out; to discriminate is to 
distinguish between. 

199. Did, done.—Say ‘I did it,’ or ‘I have done it.’ 

200. Die with.—Persons die of, not with disease. The disease doesn’t die. 

201. Differ with, differ from, are both correct. Differ from should be used 
when a mere courteous difference of opinion is meant; differ with, when there 
is a positive disagreement, especially when it leads to a quarrel 

202. Different from is preferable to different to and differeiit than. 

203. Direful is not a good word to use in such an expression as “direful 
results;” dreadful, terrible, and woeful express the idea intended by ‘direful.’ 
Dire is the correct form. 

204. Directly for as soon as.—Say '‘As soon as he came, I told him,’ not 
'■'directly he came.” 

205. Disclose, discover.—To disclose is to reveal; to discover is to find. 

206. Disremember.— forget, not “disremember.” 

207. Distinct, distinctly.—Say ‘He speaks distinctly,'' not “distinct.” 

208. Don*t, doesn^t.— Don't is a contraction of do not', doesfi't of does not. 
Think or speak the two words in full, {do not or does not), to see if the verb 
agrees with the subject, and it is easy to decide which should be used. 

209. Double Comparisons. - Both methods of comparison should not be used 
at the same time. Say ‘This was the most unkind cut of all,’ or ‘This was the 
uukindest cut of all,’ but not “This was the most unkindest cut of all.” 

210. Double negatives.—Two negatives make an affirmative. To say “He 
does not know nothing,” means that he knows something. Say ‘He does not 
know anything,’ or ‘He knows nothing,’ if that is what you mean. 

211. Down is superfluous in such expressions as “It dropped down'"' “He 
fell down'' 

212. Drank, drunk.—Say 'IHq drank eagerly,’ ‘He had drunk three glasses 
of water.’ 

213,. Dreadful.—Do not say you had a dreadful or dreadfully nice time, nor 
“It is an awfully nice day. 

214. Dry should not be used for thirsty. 

215. Each other, one another. — Each other applies to but two; one another^ 
to a larger number. 



THE RIGHT WORD. 


165 


216. Either alternative. —‘He could take either alternative.’ Alternative 
implies a choice, one choice. Kither implies two. Therefore, either alterna¬ 
tive implies two alternatives, two choices, which is manifestly incorrect. 

217. Either, neither, and both. —Each of these words applies to but two 
objects, although commonly misused by being applied to three or a greater 
number. Either means ‘one or the other;’ both means ‘one and the other;’ 
neither means ‘not one nor the other.’ 

218 Empties. —Instruction in geographies to the contrary, rivers do not 
“empty” into lakes or oceans; say flow or pour. 

219. Enthused. —Some persons speak of being “enthused” over a matter, 
when they really mean that they are aroused^ stirred^ excited, or inspired. 

220. Equally as well as.— Equally is superfluous and should be omitted 
from such expressions as “This is equally as good as that ” 

221. Estimate, esteem.—To estimate is ‘to judge the value of;’ \.o esteem is 
‘to set a high value on, especially of persons.’ 

222. Etc., &c.—These are both abbreviations of the Eatin phrase, et cetera, 
meaning ‘and the rest.’ The sign, &c., is read ‘and so forth’ and should be 
used only when the meaning is ‘and others like them;’ etc. should be read ‘et 
cetera.’ and used when the meaning is ‘and the rest,’ or ‘and other things not 
mentioned.’ Never repeat either of these abbreviations; etc., etc., ox &c., < 2 fc. 

223. Every, in such sentences as “We have every conB.dence in him,” is 
misused for entire or perfect. 

224. Every thing, everything.— Every thin^ means ‘each thing;’ everything 
means ‘all taken together;’ as ‘He paid the highest price for every thing he 
bought;’ ‘They sold everything.' 

225. Example, problem.—An example is that which is to be followed or 
imitated; a problem is a question proposed for solution. 

226. Existing, extant.—That is existing which has existence; that is extant 
which has escaped the ravages of time, used chiefly in speaking of books, 
manuscripts, etc. 

227. Expect is often incorrectly used for suppose, think, believe. 

228. Expose, expound.^To expose is to lay bare to view; to expound is to 
explain the meaning of. 

229. Extend.—Say ‘He showed me great courtesy,’ not “He extended great 
courtesy to me.” 

230. Farther, further.—Farther has reference to distance or extent; as, ‘He 
could go no farther.' Further means more; as, ‘I have nothing further \o say.’ 

23T. First, last.— Say ‘The first four’ not “four first;” there can be but one 
‘first’ or one ‘last.’ 

232. Firstly, secondly, and so forth, are often improperly used for first, 
second, and so forth. 

233. Fix for repair, arrange, and draw, is improperly used in such expressions 
as "The lawyer will fix up the papers.” “They fixed the machinery.” Fix 
means ‘to establish.’ 

234. Foot for pay.—When a man says he will foot the bill, he really 
promises only to add it. What he meant to say was that he would the bill. 

235. For should be omitted from such expressions as “He is worth more 
than you think for." 

236. Forward is superfluous in “They advanced forward;" say simply 
‘They advanced.’ 




166 


IvEtTER WRITING. 


237. Frightened, may properly be used in ^The locomotive frightened the 
horse,’ but it is incorrect to .say “The horse frightened at the loconiolive.” 

238. From is superfluous before hence, ihence, whe7ice\ as, From whence 
does it come?” 

239. Full is superfluous after fill; as, “It was filled full with apples.” 

240. Funeral obsequies is as incorrect as “wedding marriage ceremony.” 
Use one of the words o\\\y, f uneral or obsequies. 

241. Funny for odd.— Funny means ‘comical;’ it should not be used in the 
sense of stra^ige or odd. 

242. Gent is a vulgar contraction of the word gentleman, and should never 
be used. 

243. Get over is incorrectly used for recover from in the phrase get 
over an illness.” 

244. Good is often misused for well, in such sentences as “He writes good.” 
Say ‘He writes well.^ 

245. Good music in attendance should be ‘Good music will be furnished or 
provided. 

246. Got is superfluous after have, has, and had. Say simply ‘I have a 
dollar.’ 

247. Grand is incorrectly used in such expressions as “It was a grand 
failure.” 

248. Gratuitous is often misused for unfounded, unreasonable, or unwar¬ 
ranted, as “That is a gratuitous assumption.” 

249. Grow, means to increase or pass from one state or condition to another, 
as ‘to grow light,’ ‘grow dark,’ ‘grow weary.’ What is large cannot properly 
be said to ‘grow’ smaller; use become instead. 

250. Guess is a much misused word. Usually when people say they ‘guess’ 
this, that, or the other thing, they should say suppose or believe. 

251. Had have.— Have should never be used after had, though had may 
follow have. In “Had you have kept your promise,” have should be omitted. 

252. Had ought.— Had is superfluous in the sentence “He had ought to go.” 
Ought is a defective verb, having no past participle, and so cannot be used with 
an auxiliary verb. 

253. Had rather, had better, though common expressions, should be would 
7 'ather and might better. 

254. Half.—Say ‘Cut it in halves' or ‘Cut it in liuo,' not “Cut it in half.” 
There must be two halves. 

255. Hardly, scarcely.— Hardly has reference to degree; scarcely, to quantity. 
Say ‘They have scarcely enough for their own use;’ ‘He is hardly able to walk 
yet.’ Don't and can't should not be used with hardly. 

256. Head over heels, in the expression “He is head over heels in work,” 
means nothing unusual, as intended, because that is the proper position for a 
person at work. 

257. Healthy, healthful, wholesome.—We may speak of a healthy or 
unhealthy person, and of a healthful climate. Wholesome is applicable to food, 
water, air, etc. 

258. Heap should not be used for very, or a great deal, as in “A heap of 
work” 

259. Hearty. Say ‘He ate heartily' not “He ate a hearty meal.” It is the 
eater not the meal that is hearty. 




THK RIGHT WORD. 


167 


260. Height, ^^heighth.^—Say ‘The tree is fifty feet in height’ (pronounced 
h-i-t-e). There is no such word as “heighth.” 

261. Help should not be used for avoid or keep from\ as, “I could not help 
laughing at him.” 

262. Here and there are incorrectly used after this and that. In the 
sentence “This here book is belter than that there one,” omit here and there. 

263 House, home.—A house is a building. Home means ‘The abiding 
place of the affections ;* it may or may not be in a house. 

264. How do you do?—Is criticized by some authorities as incorrect for an 
inquiry regarding a person’s health. It is really asking how the person 
addressed does something. These authorities would say ‘How are you?’ Other 
eminent writers do not object to the use of “How do you do?” 

265. Human, humane*— Human denotes what pertains to man, as ‘human 
sacrifices;’ humane means compassionate. 

266. I thought to myself*—In this expression ‘to myself’ is absurdly superflu¬ 
ous, because this is the only way one can think. 

267. If I was him should be ‘If I were he.’ 

268. Immense, is improperly used in such expressions as ‘immense reduc¬ 
tions,’ ‘immense discounts,’ etc. -Immense really means ‘unlimited.’ 

269. In should not be used for into. When entrance is denoted, use into. 

270. In our midst, iS^ an abused expression, for the reason that midst means 
nearly the same as middle; say ‘with us’ or ‘among us.’ 

271. In so far as.—In such expressions as ‘In so far as our knowledge goes,’ 
in should be omitted. 

272. Inaugurate, is often improperly used for adopt., begin., open., install 
establish. We adopt measures; we begin, open, or establish a business; install 
pastors; inaugurate presidents, governors, mayors. 

273. Initiate, is often spoken or written when begin is the word that should 
be used. 

274. Inquire, investigate*—To inquire is ‘to ask for information;’ to investi¬ 
gate IS ‘to make a thorough examination.’ 

275. Its, it is*— Its should be distinguished from it's; the latter is a con¬ 
traction of it is, though 'lis is the authorized contraction. 

276. It, what*—Instead of “It is true what he says,” say ‘What he says is 
true.’ 

277. Lady for wife*—Say‘Mr -and instead of “Mr.-andlady.” 

278. Learn, teach*— Learn means ‘to acquire knowledge;’ teach means ‘to 
impart knowledge;’ hence it is incorrect to say “He learned me to write,” or 
“I will learn you better.” 

279. Least*—In the sentence “Of two evils choose the least,” say ‘the less.* 

280. Leave is incorrectly used in “I shall leave this morning.” Leave 
what? If any thing or place, name it. If you meansay‘I shall 
away this morning.’ 

281. Length, long.—Length is used chiefly of discourses or writings, and 
implies tediousness; long is used of anything that has length. 

282. Less* fewer, smaller*-Arefers to quantity;to number; as ‘I 
have less money than he has, but he has fewer friends than I have.’ Smaller 
refers to size. 

2S3. Likewise, zX^o—Likewise, which means ‘in like manner,’ is often 
misused for also. Also classes together things or qualities; likewise couples 
actions or states of being. 



168 


LETTER WRITING. 


284. Locate, find,— Locate means to place in a particular position, or to 
designate the position of, as of a new building, it does not mean to find. 

285. Love and Iike«—These words should not be used indiscriminately. 
Love implies affection. We may like peaches, flowers, to hear someone sing, 
etc., but we should not speak of loving such things. 

286. Majority.—This word is applicable only to persons. “The majority 
of the time’’ is incorrect; rather say the greater part or more than instead 
of ‘majority.’ 

287. Many, much,— Many refers to number; much to quantity. 

288. Mighty is a much misused word in such sentences as “I am mighty 
glad to see you.” 

289. Mind should not be used for remember\ as “Do you mind the time?” 

290. Mistaken,—In the sentence “You are mistaken,” say mistake or in 
error^ or incorrect. The prefix ‘mis’ means wrong or bad; as misnse, w/f^lead. 
etc. Therefore, mistaken really means ‘wrongly taken.’ 

291. Most for almost,- In such sentences as “I saw him most every day,” 
most is incorrectly used for almost. 

292. Most for very,—Say ‘It is a very (not most) melancholy fact.’ 

293. Near for nearly,—Say ‘It is not nearly so nice’ instead of “It is not 
near so nice.” 

294. Negatives,—Two negatives make an affirmative; as, “I don’t want no 
coffee,” means I want some coffee. Say, ‘I don’t want any coffee,’ or ‘I want 
no coffee. ’ 

295. Never, not for,—Say ‘He was not for an instant diverted,’ instead of 
“never an instant.” 

296. Never, whenever.—Say ‘I never fail to read when (not whenever) I 
can get a book. ’ 

297. New,—Say ‘a pair of new boots (not a new pair of boots).’ This 
illustrates the misplacing of adjectives. They should be just before the word 
they modify. 

298. New beginner should be beginner only. When one begins anything, 
he is new at it. 

299. New, novel,—That is new which is not old; that is novej which is 
both new and strange. 

300. Nobody else,—In the phrase “There was nobody else but him,” omit 
the ‘else.’ 

301. Notice.— Say ‘I shall mention (not notice) a few facts.’ 

302. Notwithstanding for although,—Say '•Although (not notwithstanding) 
they fought bravely, they were defeated.’ 

303. Numerous for many.—Speak of your 'many (not 7 iumerous) friends.’ 

304. Observe is often incorrectly used for say. Observe means ‘to keep 
carefully, to heed.’ 

305- Of is sometimes incorrectly used for have after mighty could^ would, 
should, or ought to, as “You might of gone with us.” 

306. Of is superfluous after admit, accept, recollect, and remember, as 
“The case was too plain to admit of doubt.” 

307. Of all others,—Such sentences as “This habit is of all other's the hardest 
to break up,” are incorrect because a thing cannot be one of all others. 

308. On is superfluous in ‘continue on;’ continue includes the idea of on. 



THE RIGHT WORD. 


169 


309. On, upon* in many connections are interchangeable; in others, not. 
On means merely ‘over or resting on a thing;’ upon conveys the idea of motion, 
as ‘The boy climbed upon the wagon;’ ‘He rode on the wagon.’ 

310. On every hand*—Instead of this, say on each hand^ on either hand^ 
both hands^ or on every side, 

311. Ought, anght,—Say ‘For aught (not ought') I know.* Aught meant 
Anything; ought implies obligation. Say ‘I ought to go.’ 

312. Over*—Say ‘He went across (not over) the bridge.* A bird may fly 
‘over* a bridge. 

313. Over, above, like below and under^ have reference to place. They are 
often incorrectly used for more than. Do not say “He lives above a mile away.” 

314. Overflown, overflowed*—is a form of the verb Jiy\Jlowedy of the 
verb Jiow, “The river has overflown the country’’ should be ‘The river has 
overflowed the country. ’ 

315. Own means to possess and should not be used for admits or confess^ 
as “I own he was right.” Say ‘I confess he was right.’ 

316. Partake ior cdX*—Partake means to take a part, and is often misusec 
for the simple word eat\ as “He partook of his breakfast in silence.” 

317. Partially for partly.—When anything is done in part, it is partly (no! 
partially) done. 

318. Particle means the smallest possible part of a material substance. Dc 
not say “I did not get a particle of rest last night.” Any is the word to use. 

319. Party for person, man, or woman*— Party means a number of persons,* 
or one person who takes part with others in anything. We may speak of a 
man’s being party to a crime,’ or of his being ‘one of the parties to a contract,’ 
but do not say “the party who called on me.” 

• 320. Past is often incorrectly u.sed for by^ as “I went past his house.” Past 

may be used when there is no object; as, ‘The bullets whistled past,'* 

321. Patrons for customers*— Patron means ‘one who supports, favors, pro¬ 
tects, or gives aid to another.’ This word should not be used for customers^ as 
is quite common in this country. 

322. Pell-mell implies a crowd, and should never be applied to one person; 
as, “He rushed out of the house pell-mell,'** 

323. People for persons*— People means a body of persons taken collectively, 
a nation. Say, ‘A great many persons (not people) were there.’ 

324. Perambulate is often misused for walk or stroll^ by those who have a 
fondness for big words to express little ideas. 

325. Persuade, advise*—To persuade is ‘to convince;’ to advise is ‘to give 
counsel or information.’ 

326. Plenty is incorrectly used for plentiful^ in such sentences as “Peaches 
are plenty this year.” 

327. Pocket-handkerchief.—The word pocket is superfluous, just as ‘hand’ is 
in ‘neck-handkerchief.’ The latter should be neck-kerchief, 

328. Portion for part*—Do not say “a portion of the time” or “a portion of 
the city;”/ar/is the word to use. A portion is a part set aside for a special 
purpose, or to be considered by itself. 

329. Post for inform*—Say ‘You should inform (not post) yourself on that 
point.’ Post smacks of the shop; as, ‘to post the ledger.’ 

330. Powerful weak*—“He was powerful weak after his long sickness.” 
This seems to mean a strong weakness; better say very. 



170 


LETTER WRITING. 


331. Practicable practical.—That is practicable which can be done; that*is 
practical which is iot theoretical only, as ‘a practicable plan,’ ‘a practical 
printer.’ 

332. Previous, piiAT-iously.—Say ‘He wrote me previously {notprevious) to 
his going.’ 

333. Prominent, emmznU—Promment means conspicuous; eminent means 
‘distinguished in rank or character.’ 

334- Promise for assure.-^Say ‘I assure (not promise) you that he will do the 
right thing.’ 

335. Proven for proved.— We might as well say ‘loven;’ as “Ephraim has 
proven that he has lov,, n Susan.’’ 

336. Quantity, number. Quantity has reference to that which may be 
weighed or measured; uumber to that which is counted. 

337- Quite a few, quite a little. —The word quite is superfluous in such 
expressions as “We have quite a few of them.’’ 

33S. Raise, lower.—These words are incorrectly used in such sentences as 
“He has raised the rent,’’ “They lowered his wages.’’ 

339. Real is often incorrectly used for really ^ very^ or quite\ as “I am real 
glad to see you.’’ 

340. Recollect, remember.—These words are not synonymous. We may be 
able to recollect (re-collect) what we do not at the moment remember. “I 
cannot remember’’ and “1 recollect when it happened,’’ are incorrect. 

341. Recommend is incorrectly used for advise^ suggest^ or request^ in sue'., 
sentences as “Tlie committee recommends it.’’ 

342. Remunerate, reimburse.— Renumerate means ‘to pay, to reward;’ reim¬ 
burse, ‘to pay back, to restore.’ We remunerate a man for services rendered, or 
reimburse him for expenses he has incurred for us. 

343. Repulse, repel.—usually implies hostility; repel is a military 
term. We repulse an enemy or an assailant; we l epel an ofi&cious person. 

344. Reputable for respectable.—One’s reputation may be either good or bad, 
hence, to say of a man that he is a reputable person is very indefinite. 

345. Resurrect, resurrected.—Do not use this word as a transitive verb; it is a 
sacrilegious distortion of the idea of resurrection. Resurrection is a noun, 
meaning a rising again from the dead. There is no such verb as resurrect. 

34^. Retire has a clear meaning, and well defined uses, not one of which is 
in the sense of ‘going to bed.’ If you are going to bed, say so. 

347. Return back.—Say ‘After a week’s absence he returned (not returned 
back. )* 

348. Right, wrong.— In the sentences, “That is very right,’’ “That is very 
wrong,” omit ‘very.’ 

349. Round, square.—These words should not be compared. If a thing is 
round it cannot be any “rounder,’’or if it is square it cannot be “more square.’’ 
One thing may be‘more nearly round’ than another if neither of them is round 

350. Same is superfluous in “He is the same man I saw yesterday,’’ and 
similar sentences. 

351. Scissors, snuffers, tongs, trousers, etc., denoting articles which are paired 
or coupled, are plural and take a plural verb. Say ‘The scissors are (not 
dull.’ 

352. See for saw or have seen.— Say ‘I saw him,’ or ‘I have seen him.* 

353. Section is often misused for part^ region^ neighborhood^ vicinity. 




THE RIGHT WORD. 


171 


354. Seldom or ever (or never)*—This phrase should be ‘seldom, if ever.’ 

355. Settle is often misused for pay^ in speaking of accounts. 

356. Since for ago.—Say ‘He visited us about two weeks ago (not since').* 

357- Sit and set.— 5/7 means to rest, to be in a position of rest, or to be in 
session, as of a court; set means action, to put a thing in place, to appoint, as 
to set a day for doing something. We set apart, set aside, set about, and .set 
down some article, or in writing. We sit on a chair, on a horse; we sit up and 
sit down. We set a hen, and a hen sits on eggs. We should say, therefore, 
‘as cross as a sitting hen.’ 

358. Some for somewhat* - Say ‘I am somewhat (not some) tired.’ 

359 - Some time and sometime*—In writing of an indefinite time, use 
sometiryie, but of a length of time, use some time ; as, ‘I will tell you sometime.,* 
‘It will take some time to finish.’ 

360. Sooner for rather.—Say ‘I would rather (not sooner^ go than not.’ 

361. Splendid.—This word means possessing or displaying splendor; shining; 
being brilliant; hence, it is proper to speak of ‘a splendid sunset,’ ‘a splendid 
diamond,’ but incorrect to speak of “a splendid cup of coffee,” ‘‘a splendid 
apple,” or to say that anything is done splendidly. To say ‘‘perfectly splendid” 
is still worse. 

362. State for say*—If a man merely says a thing, let us say that he says it, 
and not use the word “state.” 

363. Stop and stay.— Stop means ‘to halt, quit going;’ stay, ‘to remain at - 
place for a length of time.’ A train may stop at each station, but the length '• 
time it stays will probably vary. Do not speak of stopping at a hotel 
several days or weeks. Stop is instantaneous; stay may continue iiidefinitelj . 

364. Such a for so is a common error. Say ‘I never saw so large an apple.’ 

365. Table-board^ if not incorrect, is a droll combination of words, for 
‘board’ and ‘table’ in this sense mean practically the same. 

366. Take is incorrectly used for charge after ‘how much’ in such expres¬ 
sions as “How much will you takeV* It is misused for lead or direct in such 
sentences as “This road will take you to town ” 

367. Talk for speak.—Say ‘He speaks (not talks) German.’ 

368. Team.—Do not call a carriage and horses a team. A team is ‘two 
horses harnessed together,’ whether they are hitched to a carriage or to a tree. 

369. Terrible.—This word should never be used in such expressions as “I 
am in a terrible hurry.” 

370. Therefore, so.—In the sense of ‘for this reason,’ therefore is preferable 
to so, since so has other meanings. 

371. Together is superfluous after talk, converse, correspond, connect, unite. 
and similar words; as, “We talked together over the matter.” 

372. Too much.—“It is not best to eat too much before going to bed.” 
course it is not best to eat too much at any time. “Too much dissipation 
caused his death.” Any dissipation is too much. 

373. Transpire for happen or take place.—If the phrase ‘leak out’ (become 
known) can be put in place of the word transpire in the sentence, its use is 
correct. If the phrase ‘take place’ can be substituted without changing the 
meaning of the sentence, Hs use is wrong. 

374. Try for make.—Say *Make (not try) the experiment.’ 

375. Turn for pour*— Say ‘Pour (not turn) the coffee.* 




172 


LETTER WRITING. 


376. Veracity and troth.— is applicable to persons only; truths to 
things. We may doubt the truth of *a story because we doubt the veracity or 
truthfulness of the teller. 

377. Verdict, testimony,—A verdict is a decision made by a number of men 
acting as a single body; testimony is an expression of individual knowledge or 
belief. Say, “Mr. Jones’ testimony (not verdict) is, that hunting is a danger¬ 
ous pastime.’’ 

378. Went, gone,—Never use ‘went’ after ‘have;’ say ‘He went^ or ‘He 
would have gone.'* 

379. What for, why,—Say ‘ Why did you do that ?’ not “what for.” 

380. Which, who, or whom.—Say ‘The man whom you saw,’ but of an 
animal ‘The horse which you saw.’ Who^ whose, whom refer to persons; which, 
to things or animals. 

381. Whole is superfluous after ‘throughout’ in “Throughout his whole life 
he was consistent.” 

382. Who for whom,— Say ‘Do you know to whom this cane belongs ?’ not 
“Do you know who this cane belongs to?” Do not use the subject form who 
for the object form whom. 

383. Widow woman.— Widow means a woman who has lost her husband 
and has not married again; hence, the word ‘woman’ after it is superfluous. 

384. Without for unless.—Say ‘They w’ould not come unless (not without) 
we made them a definite offer.’ Except is also sometimes similarly misused 
for ‘unless.’ 

385. Witness for see or behold,— Witness means to attest, or bear testimony 
from personal knowledge; therefore, we may witness a deed, be an eye witness, 
etc., but should not speak of having witnessed a game of ball. 

386. Worse for more,—Say ‘I want to see him more (not worse) than ever.’ 


CAPITALS. 


387. A common fault, in letters as well as in other kinds of 
composition, is the improper use or omission of capital letters. Full 
instruction has been given on the preceding pages as to capitaliza¬ 
tion of the heading, introduction, close, and superscription, and the 
following rules will enable any one to avoid errors in the body of a 
letter. Careful observ^ation of the use of capitals in standard books 
and papers is also an excellent wa}^ of learning the correct use of 
capitals. It is allowable and customary, in writing sums of money, 
especially in the body of a check, draft, or note, to use capitals to 
begin every noun; as, ‘One Thousand Four Hundred Seventy-five 
Dollars.’ It is also allowable in headings, advertisements, or titles 
of books, to capitalize important words. 





CAPITALS. 


173 


Instruction has been given for the capitalization of the heading, 
introduction, close, and superscription of letters; sums of money ; 
head-lines ; advertisements, and title pages. In all other cases, 
apply the following rules : 

CAPITAL LETTERS SHOULD BE USED 

TO BEGIN: 

388. Every sentence and every line of poetry. 

389. Every quotation forming a sentence; as, 

Pope says, “Hope dwells eternal in the human breast.’' 

390. All words denoting the Deity and words meaning Heaven; as, 

‘Trust in Providence,’ ‘Christ,’ ‘Son of God,* ‘Paradise ’ It is also well to 

capitalize all personal pronouns referring to the Deity; as, ‘Trust in Him and 
He will give you strength.’ 

391. The names of persons and places, and all other proper nouns 
and titles; as, 

‘Ben Hur was written by Gen’l Lew Wallace, of Crawfordsville, Ind.’ 

The words street^ roady lake^ rivery mountainy should begin with capitals 
when used in connection with proper names. 

Words denoting family relations, such as fathery mothery sistery brothery 
cousiny aunty should not be capitalized,—except when preceding the name. 

392. Names of city, county, state and national official bodies, 
departments of the government, and official titles of public officers, 
when these titles precede the name of the officer; as. 

City Council, Infirmary Directors, State Legislature, Interior Department; 
Minister to Russia, Governor Bushnell, Mayor Lowe, Sheriff McKee, Justice 
Newton, Clerk Jones, etc. In speaking of 'a sheriff, a constable, a policeman, 
a justice of the peace, a mayor, etc., without the name, these words should not 
be capitalized. 

393. Names of all organized bodies, companies, and political 
organizations; as. 

The Odd Fellows, The Practical Text Book Co., National Guard. The 
official names of officers of societies and of railroads (president, secretary, etc.) 
should not be capitalized unless immediately preceding a name. 

394. Proper adjectives, the names of all religious sects, al. 
political parties, and adjectives or verbs derived from them; as. 

The American people; Baptist; Republican; the Congregational church; 
the Republican party; Americanize. 

395. Names of peoples and languages; as, 

French, English, Chinese, American, Latin, Hebrew, Greek. 



174 


LETTER WRITING. 


396. Names of things spoken of as persons, and of especially 
important things, events, or bodies of men; as, 

“Upon this, Fancy began to bestir herselfDeclaration of Independence; 
the Reformation; National Republican Convention. 

397. Names of the months, days of the week, holidays, and 
names of streets. 

Names of the seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter) should not begin 
with capitals, unless they are personified. 

398. The pronoun I, and interjection O should be capitalized. 

O should be used in direct address, and oh in expressions of pain, pleasure, 
surprise. The latter should not be capitalized unless it begins a sentence. 

399. Words denoting certain regions; as. 

Transatlantic, the North, the South, the East, the West, and their corres¬ 
ponding adjectives, when applied to divisions of a country; as, the North of 
Africa, vSouthern Ohio, Pacific Coast. When these words refer to points of the 
compass, they should not be capitalized; as, ‘He lives west of here.’ 

400. The words State and Territory where referring to one of the 
United States. 

These words should not be capitalized in ‘church and state,’ ‘state rights,’ 
and similar expressions. 

401. Words used to indicate the Bible directly; as. 

The Scriptures, Gospel of Luke, etc., but not in “to preach the gospel,’’ 
“scriptural doctrine,” etc. 

402. Names of important buildings and localities; as. 

The Public Library; the High School; Central Market; the Penitentiary; 
but not jail, prison, or post office, because commonly spoken of in a general 
sense; nor high school, penitentiary, etc., when used in a general way; as, ‘our 
high schools.’ 


PUNCTUATION. 


403. Punctuation (from the Latin Punctiim, a point) is the 
art of dividing written composition by means of points to make it 
correctly express the desired meaning. Punctuation was not 
generally known until about 1600 A. D., after the invention of the 
art of printing. Punctuation cannot be made a mere mechanical 
process, and it is hardly possible to give rules that will apply in all 
casesf. Intelligent punctuation is possible only to those who under" 
stand analysis of sentences. 





PUNCTUATION. 


175 


The proper punctuation of the heading, introducvion, a^id close 
of letters is given in the chapters devoted to those subjects and in the 
accompanying models. The instruction following wiLl enable any 
one to punctuate correctly the body of the letter or other composition. 

404. Should not be neglected, —Some persons write st> carelessly 
and hurriedly that they almost entirely neglect the use cf punctua¬ 
tion marks. Letters, as well as other written documents, should be 
carefully punctuated. If the punctuation be omitted, or mcorrectly 
done, the meaning of a sentence is often entirely changed. 

405. Importance. —The importance of the subject makes it 
worthy of careful study and practice, by any one who would write a 
good and intelligible letter. Sometimes serious or ludicrous mistakes 
occur by the careless misplacing or omission of punctuation points. 

John Quincy Adams once gained a law suit involving 550,000, the decision 
of which turned on the position of a comma. 

The Tariff Act passed by the XLIId Congress provided that fruit plants, 
and certain other commodities, should be admitted free of duty. In engrossing 
or printing the Act, a comma was inserted between fruit and plants, conse¬ 
quently, “all fruits,’’ and “all plants” were put upon the “free list,” and this 
mistake, (if mistake it was) cost the United States about $2,000,000. A special 
Act of Congress was necessary to get rid of that comma. 

A toast at a public dinner was, “Woman;"without her, man would be 
savage.” The next day it appeared in print, “Woman, without her man, wou d 
be a savage.’’ 

The following notice was once read in church: “John Brown having gor ' 
to sea (see) his wife, desires the prayers of the congregation in his behalf.” Tl/ ‘ 
comma should have been placed after the word sea. 

Punctuate the following lines so as to make them express a fact: 

Every lady in the land 
Has twenty nails upon each hand 
Five and twenty on hands and feet 
This is true without deceit. 

AN EPITAPH-PUNCTUATE TO SUIT. 

He is an old and experienced man in vice and wickedness he is never found 
opposing the words of iniquity he takes delight in the downfall of the neighbors 
he never rejoices in the prosperity of any of his fellow creatures he is always 
ready to assist in destroying the peace of society he takes no pleasure in serving 
the Lord he is uncommonly diligent in sowing discord among his friends and 
acquaintances he takes no pride in laboring to promote the cause of Christianity 
he has not been negligent in endeavoring to stigmatize all public teachers he 
makes no exertions to subdue his evil passions he strives hard to build up 
Satan’s kingdom he lends no aid to the support of the Gospel among the 
heathen he contributes largely to the evil adversary he pays no attention to 
good advice he gives great heed to the devil he will never go to heaven he must 
go where he will receive the just recompense of his reward. 




176 


LETTER WRITING. 


RULES FOR PUNCTUATION. 


PUNCTUATION MARKS. 

406. The following are the marks used in punctuating: 


Comma (,) 

Marks of Parenthesis ( ) 
Dash (—) 

Brackets [ ] 

Semicolon (;) 


Colon (:) 

Period (.) 

Interrogation (?) 
Exclamation (I) 
Quotation Marks (“ ”) 


407. In this work, the aim has been to give only those rules that will be 
found of practical every-day use. The frequency of the comma as a mark of 
punctuation, and the variety of its uses, make it advisable to formulate a series 
of rules under which those uses may be grouped. 

408. The comma indicates the slightest degree of separation 
between the parts of a sentence. 

409. RULE 1 .—Introductory words, attendant elements, inter¬ 
mediate expressions, and prrenthetical words and phrases, should 
be separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. 

Note I. —With the “introductory words” may be classed those words that 
are “independent by direct address;” as, Mr. Smith., can you come? You, sir., 
are the man. Come, Henry. Also such words as yes, no, first, second, there¬ 
fore, however, when used merely to introduce a statement. Of the introductory 
words, that, it, and there, and the introductory conjunctions, as, since, though, 
etc., do not come under this rule. 

Note 2.— Attenda 7 it Elements. These are constructions in which the noun 
is sometimes said to be independent with the participle, one of the “absolute” 
constructions; as, '‘The sun having set, we returned.’ 

(a) When the pleonastic use of a word is more formal, being used as a title 
or as the subject of a discourse, it is followed by the colon; as, “Heaven: What 
is it and Where is It?” 

Note 3.— Parenthetical words and phrases are those not essential to the 
meaning of the sentence in which they stand. Examples: “I will, however, 
keep the matter in mind.” “We are, in fact, only beginning to feel its effects 
upon our business.” 

The following list contains those words and phrases most commonly used 
in a parenthetical way: therefore, then, however, perhaps, namely, indeed, 
too, surely, finally, moreover, accordingly, nevertheless, in short, in fact, in 
fine, in truth, in reality, in brief, in a word, so to speak, no doubt, to be brief, 
to be sure, after all, of course, in the first place, in the second place, etc. 

Note 4.— Intermediate expressions are clauses and expressions not exactly 
parenthetical in character, 5^et so placed as to come between some of the essetj- 
tial parts of a sentence; as, for instance, between the subject and predicate. 
Example: “Truth, like gold, shines brighter by collision.” Under this head 
may be placed those constructions known as “nouns in apposition,” or 
“explanatory modifiers,” which, together with their modifiers, should be 
separated from the rest of the sentence by commas; as, “Paul, the great apostle, 
was a man of energy.” When the noun in apposition is unmodified or closely 




RULES FOR PUNCTUATION. 


177 


connected, no comma is required; as, “Paul the apostle preached to the Gen¬ 
tiles.” Titles following names are appositive and should be separated from the 
name, and (in case of more than one title) from each other by commas; as, 
James Hill, Esq.; Rev. Noah Porter, D.D., LL. D. 

410. RULE 2 .—Words, phrases, and clauses, forming a series and 
having the same construction, should be separated from each other 
by commas, unless all the conjunctions are given. 

This rule has a variety of applications which, for convenience, may be 
examined under the following heads: 

411. Words. —Words forming a series admit the four following cases : 

{a) When a conjunction is used between each two of the words, no commas 
are required; as, “ludnstry and honesty and temperance and frugality are 
among the cardinal virt.ues.” 

(b) When all the conjunctions but the last are omitted, a comma should be 
placed after each of the words excepting the last one; as, “Industry, honesty, 
temperance, and frugality are among the cardinal virtues.” 

(^r) All the conjunctions may be omitted, in which case commas should be 
used, and a comma should be placed after the last word in the series, to separate 
it from what follows; as, “Industry, honesty, temperance, frugality, are among 
the cardinal virtues.” 

(d) When there are an even number of words, four or more, each alternate 
conjunction maybe omitted, leaving the words in pairs; as, “Industry and 
honesty, temperance and frugality, are among the cardinal virtues.” 

412. Modified Words and Phrases. —Expressions consisting of phrases 
or principal words and their modifiers, when forming a series, admit the four 
cases given above for single words. 

Examples: Pure thoughts, good deeds, and noble aspirations elevate a man. 
Love for study, a desire to do right, and carefulness in choosing our com¬ 
panions are important traits of character. 

413. Co-ordinat0 Clauses. —Simple co-ordinate members of a compound 
sentence, closely connected in thought, admit cases {b) and [c) foi words, and 
should be punctuated accordingly. 

Example: Speak as you mean, do as you profess, [and] perform what you 
promise. 

414. RULE 3 .—Inverted phrases and clauses, and phrases and 
clauses not closely connected with the words they modify, should 
be separated from the rest of the sentence by commas. 

Note I. —An “inverted” phrase or clause is one that stands at the beginning 
of a sentence instead of following the word it modifies: thus, “To supply the 
deficiency, he resorted to a shameful trick.” In this sentence. To supply the 
dejiciency “trick,” and if it followed that word, no comma would be 

required. . . . . 

All sentences beginning with subordinate conjunctions contain inverted 
clauses. The most common are those beginning with if or wheni as, “If you 
are in a hurry, you need not wait fpr us-” “When a man ceases to go up, he 
begins to go down.” 




178 


LETTER WRITING, 


Note 2.—It is not always possible to place phrases and clauses next the 
words they limit, for the reason that two or more phrases or clauses may 
modify the same word. Phrases and clauses that are thus separated from their 
antecedent words should be preceded by the comma. When a phrase or a 
clause is the antecedent of a relative pronoun, the pronoun should be preceded 
by a comma. P'or example, ‘They met in the hall, at three o’clock, to do the 
work.’ ‘ “Give me liberty or give me death,” which are the words of Patrick 
Henry, is a familiar quotation.’ 

415- RULE 4 .—The omission of the verb in a sentence or clause 
should be indicated by a comma. 

Note.—This omission of the verb is what is known as “ellipsis,” and may 
occur in two ways: i. For emphasis, or mere rhetorical effect in short sen¬ 
tences; 2. By giving it in the first of a series of brief sentences and omitting it 
in the rest of them to avoid repetition. Examples: England’s friend, Ireland’s 
foe. (Meaning, “England’s friend is Ireland’s foe.”) “Reading maketh a full 
man; conference, a ready man; writing, an exact man.” 

416. RULE 6.—In dating, addressing, and directing letters, if 
two or more items occupy the same line, they should be separated 
from each other by commas. 

This rule is illustrated by the following models: 

Argosy Ind.y Jan. 8, 1892. 

Miss Ida A. Irwin^ 

New towny Conn. 

Note.—The “items” in the date line are: i. Post office; 2. County (if the 
place be small); 3. State; 4. Month and day; 5. Year. When one of these items 
IS abbreviated (as is often the case with the State and month), both a period 
and a comma should be used, the former for the abbreviation and the latter 
because it belongs there when the word is written in full. 

417. RULE 6.—Short quotations should be preceded by a comma, 
if they make complete sense. 

Example: His last words were, “Don’t give up the ship.” 

418. RULE 7.—Commas are used to separate the figures of large 
numbers into periods of three figures each. 

Examples: 136,578; 9.235.768; 3 . 563 . 847 - 9 I- 

419. RULE 8.—The adjective clause, when it is not restrictive, 
should be set off by a comma. 

Examples: I saw the man who was hurt, (restrictive.) I saw Jno. Lane, 
who was sick, (non-restrictive.) ’ 

Note.—In the first example, the clause, ^^who was hurt y'' points out a particu¬ 
lar man, and thus restricts or limits. In the second example, the language 
implies, and the punctuation shows, that we are supposed to know Jno. Lane, 
and that the following clause is not required to distinguish this Jno. Lane from 
some other Jno. Lane. So, an adjective clause is restrictive when it is used to 
point out clearly one name from a class of similar names; as, one apple from 
many apples; one man from many men, etc. 

420. RULE 9.—Adverb clauses, unless they closely follow and 
yestrict the wprd they modify, should be set off by commas. 



RULES FOR PUNCTUATION. 


179 


Examples: ‘Glass bends easily when it is hot* (Follows and restricts.) 

I will not say he is a fool, because it would be too uncomplimentary.’ (Fol¬ 
lows, but does not restrict.) ‘When you come, I will go.* (Restricts, but it 
does not i'ollow.) 

421. RULE 10.—The members of a compound sentence, when 
short and closely connected, are separated by commas. 

Example: ‘Poverty may not be dishonorable, but it is very inconvenient.’ 
[See Note 3, under Rule 2.] _ . 

422. RULE 11.—The members of a compound predicate, if long, 
and especially, if differently modified, are separated by commas. 

Example: ‘Washington fortified Dorchester Heights, and drove Howe 
from Boston.* 

Rem.ork.—Their use being similar to the parenthetical use of the comma, 
the dash, marks of parenthesis, and brackets are introduced at this point. 

423. The dash#- -Dashes are used ; 

1. When the parenthetical expression has not so close a connection with 
the rest of the sentence as would be indicated by commas; as, ‘The statement 
may be true—I am not prepared to dispute it—that he is guilty.’ 

2. When there is a sudden break or transition in the thought; as, ‘In the 
next place—but I will not discuss the matter further.’ 

3. To mark the omission of letters or figures; as, Mrs. W-n. The city 

of C-d. Matthew ix:i-i4. Pages 48-52. 1776-79. 

4. After as^ namely^ etc., when the enumeration or statement thus intro¬ 
duced begins on the next line; also to separate the name of an author from an 
extract from his writings; as—• 

The man that blushes is not quite a brute.— Young, 

Remark.—Many persons, being ignorant of the rules for punctuating, make 
a weak effort to conceal their ignorance by throwing dashes into their writing 
in an indiscriminate way. This habit is to be condemned, and young writers, 
particularly, should guard against it. 

424. Marks of Parenthesis are used to enclose explanatory 
words, or expressions having little or no connection with the rest 
of the sentence. 

Note.—“If a point would be required between the parts of a sentence, in 
case no parenthesis were there, then, when the parenthesis is inserted, said 
point should be inserted also, and should be placed after the second mark of 
parenthesis; as, ‘Pride, in some disguise or other, is the most ordinary spring 
of action.’ ‘Pride, in some disguise or other (often a secret to the proud man 
himself), is the most ordinary spring of action.’ If the parenthetical part 
requires, at the end, a point of its own, this point should come inside of the 
last mark of parenthesis, and the point belonging to the main sentence should 
come before the first mark of parenthesis; as, ‘While the Christian desires the 
approbation of his fellow-men, (and why should he not desire it?) he disdains 
to obtain their good-will by dishonorable means.’ “Say not in thine heart, 
‘Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above;) or, 
who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the 
dead;) but what saith it?’” [This applies to points used in connection with 
the dash and brackets.']—Hart's Rhetoric. 



180 


LETTER WRITING. 


{a) One frequent use of the marks of parenthesis is to enclose figures and 
letters referring to a note, rule, paragraph, section, remark, or page, to whicli 
attention is called. 

(b) Marks of parenthesis are used to enclose an amount or number in 
figures, when it is also written in words. 

Examples: Ship us twenty (20) bushels of apples by freight. Enclosed 
find twenty dollars ($20) to apply on account. 

425. Brackets are similar to marks of parenthesis, but are 
restricted in their use to enclOvSe matter that is independent of the 
sentence in which it occurs; such as interpolations, notes, correc¬ 
tions, or explanations, made by authors in quoting from others, 
and by editors, when they introduce words of their own into matter 
furnished by contributors. 

426. A semicolon should be used : 

1. Just before such words as namelyy aSy thuSy viz.y i. e,, introducing an . 
illustration or enumeration. 

Example: The word “knowledge,” strictly employed, implies three 
things; namely, truth, proof, and conviction. 

When the words following one of these expressions are thrown into the 
body of a sentence, in a parenthetical way, no semicolon is required. [See 
Note 3, Rule i, for comma.] 

2. After each item in a series of specific statements; as, for instance, a 
list of articles where prices or qualifying expressions are used; names of 
authors or their works; dates or any list of numbers intended to be taken 
separately. 

Example: We quote the following prices: No. 2, $1.00; fair to medium, 
90 cts.; No. 3, dull at 80 cts.; poorer grades not in demand. 

3. To separate closely connected simple sentences when the conjunction is 
omitted; and to separate the members of compound sentences when one or 
more of the members contain commas, especially when the commas indicate 
the omission of the verb. The rule itself furnishes an illustration. 

427. The colon should be used : 

1. Between figures designating hours and minutes; as, 9:10 A. M.; 7:45 P. M. 

2. After the salutation at the beginning of a letter; as, Sir:, Gentlemen: 
In such cases, it is often followed by a dash. 

3. Before an enumeration of articles or parts introduced by such expres¬ 
sions as “the for owing” “as follows” (or ‘as follow’); also after the word 
“Example,” when capitalized. 

4. After a formal introduction to a speech, or lengthy quotation; as. His 
reply was this: “America has millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute.” 

Note.—Formerly the colon was used in the following ways: i. To separate 
closely connected seiitences; 2. To separate from a sentence, complete in itself, 
an additional clause of inference or explanation, the connecting word (usually 



RULES FOR PUNCTUATION. 


IM 


for but or yet) being omitted; as,—Apply yourself to study [for]: it will 
redound to your honor. 3. To divide long sentences whose members them¬ 
selves were separated by semicolons. [For examples of first and third uses 
see Twenty-third Psalm.] These uses of the colon are not regarded now’ 
except by ver;^^ careful writers in the higher types of literature. In ordinary 
writing, the semicolon has taken the place of the colon in the first and second 
uses mentioned above (the connecting word being used); while the period has 
taken its place in the third, making two sentences instead of one. 

428. The period should be used in the following places: 

1. At the close of all assertive and imperative sentences. 

2. After all abbreviations; as, Co., Mass., Dr., Mdse., U. S. A. 

3. As a decimal point, and after the denominations of Sterling money; as, 
$4-50; 135,627.89; £ 19. 3s. 4d. 

4. After letters used as numerals, and after figures used to number para¬ 
graphs, notes, remarks, questions, or any list of particulars; as, (IX.), (Rule i.). 
(See \ 10.), (Remark 3, p. 16.), (p. 4, Vol. 2.). 

5. After headings and titles, and after dates and signatures to letters and 
other documents; also at the close of the address at the beginning of a letter, 
and after the last item in the direction on the envelope or package. 

429. The interrogation is used at the close of direct questions: 

Examples: Can you come to see us? Will they furnish them at that price? 

Note I. —An interrogation should be used after an interrogative phrase or 

clause that is repeated in the body of a declarative sentence; as, “The question, 
‘What do we live for?’ is a solemn one.” [This applies also to the mark of 
exclamation.] 

Note 2.—Usually, the interrogation is equivalent to a period, but not 
always. Sometimes the interrogative clause occurs in the middle of a sentence, 
while at other times the sentence is composed of a series of auestions, so that 
the interrogation may be equivalent to a comma or semicolon. It is important 
that the writer should know to what the interrogation is equivalent, as upon this 
depends whether the next word shall begin with a capital. The way to 
determine this is to change the questions into affirmative form. If, by doing 
this, the questions are resolved into independent statements, the interrogation 
is equivalent to a period; but if the expressions appear as a series of phrases or 
clauses, requiring the comma or semicolon for their punctuation, the interroga¬ 
tion is equivalent to one or the other of these marks, and the next word should 
not begin with a capital. 

Examples: i. Shall a man gain the favor of heaven by impiety ? by false¬ 
hood? by murder? by theft? Affirmatively: A man can not obtain the favor 
of heaven by impiety, by falsehood, by murder, by theft. (Equivalent to 
commas). 

2. Who will heed his absurd claim? who will be influenced by his misrep¬ 
resentations? Affirmatively: No one will heed his absurd claim; no one will 
be influenced by his misrepresentations. (Equivalent to the semicolon). 

430. The exclamation is used after words, phrases, or sentences 
expressing strong emotion. 

Examples: O Absalom ! O God I O my child ! Alas 1 I am undone. 
Oh, where shall rest be found 1 Oh I Where shall rest be found ? . 




182 


LETTER WRITING. 


431. Quotation marks are used to show that the words enclosed 
by them are the exact words of another writer or speaker. 

Note I. —When one quotation is contained within another, it should be 
indicated by single marks. Should the contained quotation come at the end of 
the sentence, three apostrophes should be used after it. 

Examples: He began by saying, “The old proverb, ‘Well begun is half 
done,’contains an important truth,” The speaker replied, “In the words of the 
immortal Lawrence, I would say, ‘Don’t give up the ship.’ ” 

Note 2.—A period, colon, semicolon, or comma after the last word of a 
quotation is placed before the quotation marks. Other punctuation marks are 
placed before the quotation marks, if they are part of the quotation, and after 
them if they are used to punctuate the sentence. 


OTHER MARKS USED IN WRITING AND PRINTING. 

432. The apostrophe is used : 

1. To mark the omission of a letter or syllable; as, o’er, ne’er, ’tis, they’ll. 

2. To mark the omission of the century in dates; as, ’89, ’92. 

3. With the s to indicate the plural of a letter, figure, or sign; as, 6’s, b’s. 

There is good authority for the use of either of the following rules. Learn 

one^ and then use it always. 

4. To show possession, add the apostrophe and s to all nouns that do not 
end in ^ ; to them, add the apostrophe only; as, cord’s length; hat’s rim; hats’ 
rims (more than one hat, hats)\ James’ lesson; Moses’ life, etc.; or, 

5. To show possession, add the apostrophe and s to all nouns except plurals 
that end in .s; as, cord’s length; hat’s rim; hats’ rims; James’s lesson; Moses’s 
life, etc, 

433. The hyphen is used between the parts of compound words, 
and at the end of a line to indicate that a word is divided. 

It is not always easy to decide whether the hyphen should be 
used to indicate the compounding of two words. The following 
directions are abridged from an article written by a practical printer, 
and published in the National Educator: 

1. When two nouns come together and the second one implies the act o 
containing the first, a hyphen is used to connect them; thus, wood-box, paper- 
box, glass-box, ice-house; when, however, the first noun indicates the material 
of which the second is made, no hyphen should be used; as, wood box, paper 
box, glass box, ice house. Notice the difference between wood-box and wood 
box, etc. 

2. When two adjectives stand before a noun and the first one belongs 
rather to the second than to the norm itself, the hyphen should be used between 
the adjectives; as, red-haired boy, eight-day clocks, ten-cent toys, six-inch 
wheels. The omission of the hyphei' from these words changes the meaning 
to a red boy with hair, eight clocks each running one day, ten toys each worth 
one cent, six wheels each one inch in size, etc. 




THE HYPHEN. 


183 


. 3. Sometimes two words of the same part-of-speech are connected by the 
word and^ the three forming an adjective ; thus, up-and-down motion, cut-and- 
slash fury. If the two adjectives qualify the noun equally, no hyphen is neces¬ 
sary. If we speak of a shipping-case, for instance, we use a hyphen, and so in 
retailing-case ; but if both words, “shipping and retailing,” come before tlu 
word “case,” no hyphen should be used; as, shipping and retailing case. 

4. A participial adjective coming before a noun, indicating the general or 
habitual use of the noun, should have a hyphen; as, printing-press, sewing- 
machine. A printing press is a press which is just now printing, but a printing- 
press is used for printing in general, though at this instant it may be perfectly 
still. So with writing machine, writing-machine, etc. 

434. To the above may be added the following specifc state¬ 
ments : 

1. Two numerals expressing a compound number should be united by a 
hyphen; as, twenty-one, thirty-six, etc. 

2. The word “fold,” when annexed to a numeral of more than one syllable, 
is separated from it by a hyphen; as, twenty-fold, sixty-fold, etc., but if the 
numeral has but one syllable, no hyphen is used; as, twofold, fourfold. 

3. When fractions are expressed in words instead of figures, a hyphen 
should separate the two parts; as, one-half, three-fourths, etc. 

4. The words “half” and “quarter,” when prefixed to a noun, should be 
separated from it by a hyphen; as, half-dollar, quarter-pound, etc. 

5. A phrase used as an epithet or as a modifier is compounded, and the 
hyphen used; as, a ‘never-to-be-forgotten’ event; a ‘flower-bedecked’ mead¬ 
ow, an ‘I-am-surprised’ expression of countenance. 

6. When compounds are formed by the union of a possessive and* the noun 
limited, if the meaning is literal, both possessive sign and the hyphen disap¬ 
pear; thus, tradesman, doomsday, ratsbane. When these same terms have not 
a literal meaning, as hound’s-tongue, bear’s-foot, or wolf’s-bane,—names of 
plants, both possessive sign and hyphen are retained. 

7. When the compound term is used as an adjective, both the possessive 
sign and the hyphen are retained, as in the expressions, ‘a camel’s-hair shawl,’ 
•neat’s-foot oil,’ ‘a bird’s-eye view.’ 

8. Prefixes, or similar parts, are not consolidated with the rest of the word 
if they stand before a capital letter, and the hyphen is used to separate them; 
thus, pre-Adamite, ex-President, Anglo-Saxon, anti-Democratic. 

9. The hyphen is used also to preserve the separate sense of the parts of a 
compound term, as in electro-magnetism, vice-admiral, hydro-carbon. 

10. The words today, tonight, and tomorrow are written, in the leading 
dictionaries, both with and without the hyphen. But the tendency, in practice, 
is to drop it, and we recommend that these words be written without a hyphen. 

11. Usually, though not always, when two words are compounded, and 
each one retains its original accent, a hyphen should be used; as, snow-shoe. 



184 


LETTER WRITING. 


All-wise, town-hall; but if the accent of one of the words be dropped, the hyphen 
should be omitted; as, railway, bookkeeper, typewriter. 

In dividing words at the end of a line, care should be taken that the 
division is strictly according to syllables; that is, never write part of a syllable 
it the end of a line and the remainder at the beginning of the next line. 
Never place the first syllable of a word at the end of a line, when that syllable 
contains but one letter; neither should the last syllable, when it consists of but 
a single letter, be placed at the beginning of the next line. This last rule 
includes final syllables of two letters when one of the letters is silent; as. 
burned^ passed, 

435. The caret is used to mark the omission of a letter, a word, 
or a number of words. The omitted part is generally written above 
and the caret shows where it should be inserted. Examples: 

s sent 

It was an omision. I had just^a telegram to him. 

of your firm. 

If it be not contrary to the rules please ship the goods by express, subject 
to inspection. ^ 

Remark.—The examples above fully illustrate the use of the caret, but all 
short manuscripts should be rewritten to supply omissions. 

436. Marks of ellipsis* —Sometimes a long dash (-), or a 

succession of stars (**=»=*** *)^ or of points (..), are 

used to indicate the omission of a portion of a sentence or discourse. 
“Leaders^’ are a succession of dots, used to carry the eye to some¬ 
thing printed at a greater or less distance to the right. 

437. Marks of reference are such as the asterisk (*), the daggei 
(t), section (§), parallel lines (||), etc., used to call attention to 
some note or remark in the margin, at the bottom of the page, or 
end of the chapter. 


The chief aim of punctuation is to unfold the meaning of sentences with 
the least trouble to the reader. It aids the delivery only in so far as it tends to 
bring out the sense of the writer to the best advantage.— Wilson. 

The principles of punctuation are subtle, and an exact, logical training Is 
requisite for the just application of them.—6^. P. Marsh, Lectures on English 
Language, 











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MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 


185 


MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 

438. If a letter is worth writing, it is worth writing carefully.— 
Do not write anonymous letters.-—Avoid writing with pencil, or 
with ink of any other color than black.—Do not fill a letter with 
apologies and repetitions.—As a rule, private matters should not 
be mentioned in business letters. —Do not hesitate to write of the 
commonplace things in social correspondence; it is usually the small 
things of every-day life that prove most interesting in such letters. — 
Always mention the amount, when you enclose a check or other 
remittance, and do not say ^'Please find enclosed”; omit the 
‘please.’ Say ‘please’ only when you make a request that may or 
may not be granted.-Avoid all errors, erasures, interlineations, and 
blots, even if it be necessary to re-write the letter. — Do not write 
with a lead pencil unless absolutely unavoidaMe—.Begin a new 
paragraph wnc’^* you commence to write about an entirely new 
subject.—Avov\ the repetition of words in the same sentence or 
sentence.- :' .ach other; use another word with the same meaning. 

439. Comolete letter-writers are books giving model letters, so- 
called, on ail subjects. Some young persons fall into the habit of 
copying these almost word for word, instead of writing original 
letters. This is a bad practice; it is better to send a poorly con¬ 
structed letter, of which you are the author, than a copied ‘model.’ 

A youug man who copied and used such a letter proposing marriage, 
received a reply saying, “You will find my answer on the next page.” It was 
a polite refusal. 

440. Date of letter answered.—In answering a business letter, 
always mention its date; as, ‘Your letter of the 5th inst. is at hand.’ 
This may save your correspondent much time, as it is usually 
necessary for him to refer to his previous letter on the same subject. 

441. Enclosing a stamp.— In writing to a person on a subject 
that does not directly interest him, and concerns only yourself, you 
should always enclose a stamp if you desire an answer. Do not 
expect a person to spend his time and pay postage besides, when 
writing about something that interests only yourself. 

A single stamp enclosed should be fastened to the paper, so it 
may not drop out and be lost when the letter is opened. This may 
be done by sticking the gummed margin that is usually connected 





186 


letter writing. 


with the outer row of a sheet of stamps; by cutting two slits near 
together in the paper, with a pen-knife, or by sticking one corner of 
a stamp to the paper. The first two methods are preferable, as by 
the last, one corner of the stamp may be torn when it is removed. 

442. Remittances.—In opening letters containing a remittance, 
always count the money, at once, or notice carefully the amount of 
a check, draft, or other form of remittance, to see whether it agrees 
with the sum mentioned, and make a memorandum of the amount 
on the letter or envelope. 

443. Figures. —As a rule, figures should not be used in the body 
of a letter, except in writing dates and sums of money. However, 
if many numbers are to be written in a letter, much time may be 
saved, both in the writing and in the reading, by expressing them in 
figures. A sum should not be written in words in one place in 
the letter, and figures in another, where used in the same sense. 

444. Answers.—Nearly every letter should be answered, if it be 
not insulting. Such letters may be ignored, or returned; it is 
usually better to return them. Letters requiring an answer, should 
be answered promptly. In fact, prompt people are usually the most 
successful in business. The answer will ordinarily correspond in 
style to the letter answered, being written upon the same subject. 

445. Recapitulation.—It is well in the beginning of a business 
letter to refer to the subject and date of the letter to which it is an 
answer. This will call to the mind of your correspondent his letter 
to you, and perhaps save him time in looking up the subject; besides, 
your letters then, when filed, are something of a history of the 
transaction. 

446. Care of letters.—Answered and unanswered letters should 
be kept separate. An answered letter on an important subject 
should always be filed for future reference. There are many systems 
of filing now used in business. If you employ no better method, the 
letters may be simply folded to a uniform size; and, on one end of 
the back, the name of the writer, date of its receipt, and date of 
answer may be written. It is also well to indicate briefly the subject 
of the communication. This will often save time in opening a 
letter and reading it. 



MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. 


187 


447. Copying letters* —It is well to preserve copies of all 
important letters. The plan most used by business men is to make 
letter-press copies, which gives a fac-simile. If the letter be 
dictated to a stenographer, his shorthand notes may be preserved. 
Some firms have a carbon copy made when the letter is typewritten, 
and file it with the letter to which it is an answer. 

448. Beginning and ending*—Social and private letters should 
begin in an easy and natural way. Business letters may be a little 
more formal or abrupt in the beginning. The former should 
generally close with some expression of affection or compliment, in 
addition to the complimentary close. Such expressions are often a 
part of the last sentence; as, ‘Wishing you continued success, I am. 
Yours sincerely;’ ,IvOokiugforward, with pleasure, to an early inter¬ 
view, I am. Yours cordially;’ ‘Trusting your trip may prove both 
pleasurable and profitable, I am, Yours respectfully.’ 

449. Care in writing* —As a rule, it is better not to write a letter 
when excited or angry. More care should be used in this respect 
in writing than in speaking. Words spoken may soon be forgotten, 
but what is written may be kept as a record against us for years. 
For this reason, it is wise to wait until one can soberly decide just 
what it is best to write. 

450. Truthfulness* —In v/riting, as in talking, we should always 
be strictly truthful. Untruthfulness often leads to unfair dealing 
and possibly to crime, while strict truthfulness and honesty in small, 
as well as in large, things, gains the confidence of others, and is best 
as a matter of policy, if for no higher motive. True and lasting 
success comes only from honor and strict integrity. 

451. The right envelope* —Great care should,be taken to see that 
one uses the right envelope for each letter. As soon as an envelope 
is directed, if the writer does not immediately insert the letter, he 
should place it under the flap of the envelope. If these letters are 
to be folded later by a clerk, he should pick them up one at a time 
and glance at the name in the letter and on the envelope, before 
folding, to see that they are the same. 

452. Junior and Senior* —The abbreviations for these words are 
Jr. or Jun., and Sr. or Ben. The former is used by the son, and 
the latter by the father, when both have the same name. The son 




188 


LETTER WRITING. 


usually discontinues the use of upon the death of his father. 
The abbreviation should immediately follow the name. It does not 
take the place of any title, and it should begin with a capital. 

453. Paging. —If a letter consists of more than one sheet, the 
leaves should be paged and arranged in proper order. The initials 
of the person written to, and the date in figures, (as, II. T. L — 
2 -lJ^- 98 ) should be written at the top of each sheet, except the first, 
in addition to the figure giving the number of the page. 

454. Postal Cards. —^The superscription of a posta/. card should 
be the same as that of an envelope. On the opposite side should be 
the address and date in full, the body of the message, and Vhe 
signature. The salutation and complimentary close should be 
omitted. Postal cards are unmailable if anything but the direction 
be written on the face side, and nothing may be pasted upon, or 
attached in any way to, a postal card. Important or private 
matters should never be written on postal cards. 

455. Abbreviations, quotations, and contractions should be used 
sparingly in letters. Life is short, but long enough to write words 
ill full in letters. Do not write such contractions as ‘don’t,’ ‘can’t,’ 
‘isn’t,’ etc. Spell out all words in full instead of contracting, and 
do not write for and. If any abbreviations are used, employ 
the forms that are accepted by common usage. Never abbreviate 
words that are not ordinarily abbreviated. In very formal corres¬ 
pondence, titles, given names, states, and all words that might 
ordinarily be abbreviated, should be spelled out in full. No proper 
name should be abbreviated; as, Balto. for Baltimore; Phila. for 
Philadelphia, and N. O. for New Orleans. When two abbrevia¬ 
tions identical in form come together, as ‘Main St.,’ ‘St. Louis,’ 
one of the words should be spelled out in full. An apostrophe may 
be used to mark the omission of a letter or letters from a word (as 
o’er, ne’er), when the word is said to be contracted; or, a period 
should follow the abbreviation. The apostrophe and period should 
not both be used in connection with the same word. Do not abbre¬ 
viate an abbreviation, as “Mess.” for Ilessrs.; “Ad.” for Adv., etc. 
A few abbreviations of personal names are allowable in ordinary 
correspondence, because of very long use; such as, Chas., Jas.. 
Wm., Thos., and some others; but, in reading such abbreviations 



MISCEIylvANEOUS HINTS. 


189 


pronounce them as you do the full name. Do not use an apostrophe to 
indicate an abbreviation; as, “Cha’s,” but write it Chas. (with a 
period after the abbreviation). Names should be spelled in full in 
formal correspondence. 

45b. Courtesy.—Be courteous in correspondence as well as in 
conversation. This has proved an important element in the success 
of many persons. With some, it is their capital and stock in trade. 
It has made the fortune of many a man. Other things being equal, 
we all prefer to do business with the man who is agreeable and 
courteous in his dealings; and these qualities, therefore, increase his 
business. What is true of conversation applies also to business 
done through the medium of correspondence. 

457. Instant^ ultimo, proximo.— Instant is almost always used 
in the abbreviated form ‘inst.’. In correspondence, it means ‘pres¬ 
ent month.’ Ultimo, abbreviated ‘ult.’ or ‘ulto.’, in correspond¬ 
ence, means ‘the month last past.’ Proximo, abbreviated ‘prox.’, 
means, in correspondence, ‘next’ or ‘coming month’. These abbre¬ 
viations are most used in letters to refer to the date of the letter one 
is answering. 

458. Spelling.—If you are in the least doubt as to the spelling 
of a word, look it up in the dictionary before writing it. The writ¬ 
ing of letters may be made a constant education in spelling and 
composition, if one is careful to do his best, and interested in avoid¬ 
ing all kinds of mistakes. Many errors are made through careless¬ 
ness. Do not be satisfied to send out a letter if you are in doubt as 
to the construction of any sentence or the spelling of any word. 

459. Errors in Letters.—Never send a letter marred by blots, 
erasures, or corrections. Re-write as often as necessary to make it 
perfect. This applies especially to business letters. The future of 
many a person has been made or marred by care or carelessness in 
these essential details. Even in writing to intimate friends or rela¬ 
tives there should be enough respect due to prevent the sending of 
any but a neatly prepared letter. Errors in spelling, use of capitals, 
or in language, show a lack of education, and these are excusable 
only in persons who find bliss in ignorance and believe “ *Tis folly 
to be wise.” 




190 


LETTER WRITING. 


460. Underliningf* —Emphasis is indicated in type by italics, but 
in writing or typewritten work by underscoring. Underlining 
should be done very sparingly, for much of it weakens, rather 
than adds emphasis. 

461. Long Sentences. —Avoid frequent use of the words hut and 
and. Make shorter sentences, and che use of these words will be 
unnecessary. 

462. Postscript, from the Latin, Post-scriptum.^ is almost 
always abbreviated P. S. It should follow the signature, and it 
should begin as far to the right of the left margin as do the para¬ 
graphs. The ordinary and obvious use of the postscript is to add 
an after-thought to the letter. It is frequently used, however, for 
emphasis and this use is often very effective; for illustration, a 
common-place letter upon an unimportant subject may be written to 
make the occasion of bringing in as a postscript a point that could 
not be made the main subject of a letter. The signature, if any, to 
a postscript should be only the initials of the writer. 

Try to say what you desire to say in the body of a letter and 
avoid postscripts. Sometimes they are useful, but the frequent use 
of postscripts lessens their power for any special service. Never 
write a message of affection, congratulation, or condolence as a 
postscript, for what might be a compliment or comfort in the body 
of the letter may prove an insult if written as a postscript. 

463. Nota Bene means ‘Note Well’ and is abbreviated N. B. 
Like the postscript, it should follow the signature of the letter, and 
may come before or after the postscript; that is, it may qualify 
either the letter or the postscript. Its first and most important use 
is to call special attention to something that the writer thinks his 
correspondent may fail to notice or appreciate. The Nota Bene may 
Lave a postscript, but should never have a Nota Bene. 

464. Indorsement of Letters. —Business letters are often referred 
to a third person, in which case it is customary to write ‘RespecL 

fully submitted’, ‘Respectfully referred to-for - 

closing with the signature, and giving the date of reference, either 
with rubber stamp or pen. 

465- Sealing. —All letters, except formal notes, should be care¬ 
fully sealed. Care should be taken not to soil the envelope. In 





MISCBIvIvANEOUS HINTS. 


191 


sealing an ordinary gummed envelope, it is well to place a blotter or 
clean sheet of paper over the envelope instead of having the hand 
come in contact with it. Badies often seal their social letters with 
wax, using a seal on which their initial or initials have been 
engraved. Betters of recommendation, introduction, and some 
formal notes, when delivered personally, should not be sealed. 

466. Address* —One should always be very careful to give his 
full address accurately, especially in letters on important matters. 
Many letters remain unanswered because of the writer’s lack of care 
in this respect. 

467. Hasty Answers* —One should not answer a letter while 
angry, nor, as a rule, when he is inclined to say severe things. It 
is better to wait, when probably the style of the letter will be 
entirely changed. Words hastily spoken, and letters written in 
haste or anger, one usually would like later to recall. Most letters 
which seem to give ample provocation for a sharp reply might 
better be unanswered. Hasty or vindictive words make enemies 
and endanger business, while kind words make and hold friends. 

468. Promptness* —All business letters should be answered 
promptly. The man who always remits promptly and answers letters 
promptly is likely to please his correspondents, and this helps one’s 
business. The degree of promptness required in answering social 
letters depends upon one’s relations to his correspondent. 

469. Present* —The word “Present” was formerly often written 
on the envelope of formal letters delivered by a messenger, but it? 
use has now become nearly or quite obsolete. 

470. Friendship and Business should not be mixed in letters. 
Ordinarily it would not be objectionable to use the same envelope 
for both, but the letters should be written on different sheets. 

471. Dunning Letters* —Two points should be kept in view ift 
writing letters urging the payment of money; one, to obtain the 
money, the other, to avoid giving offense to the customer. Such a 
letter should be plain and business-like, not abrupt nor dictatorial, 
nor worded in a way to put the debtor into a spirit of resentment. 
The letter should rather be written in a friendly tone, and so worded 
that it will not offend. Oftentimes a complimentary and exception¬ 
ally friendly letter may induce one to pay when other means would 



192 


IvBTTER WRITING. 


have failed. An appeal to one^s honor may, in some cases, prove 
effective. Threats and harsh words will hardly accomplish the 
desirea object in any case. If the debtor has property, however, so 
that the claim is legally collectible, a threat of appeal to the law may 
induce payment when urgent and friendly letters have failed. 

472. Titles.—Read what is said of titles on pages 216 and 228. 
Never use both of two such titles as ‘Mr.’ and ‘Esquire’ (a common 
error); if you use one, omit the other. Persons of good taste do 
not use titles in signing letters. Rev.y Hon.y Prof.., etc., are pre¬ 
fixed by others to the names of those entitled to them, but no one 
should write such a title before his own name. 

473. Length of Business Letters.—Business letters, as a rule, 
should be short and to the point.. Even if the writer have time at 
his command to write long letters, the one to whom he writes might 
be much better pleased with short communications. A busy man 
of business, wdio each day receives a large number of letters that 
must be answered, does not have time nor inclination to read long 
essays, w^hen the business in hand could be expressed in few words. 
In some cases, however, a long Tetter may be more pleasing to the 
recipient and better for the wTiter, because it accomplishes what a 
short letter w^ouid not- It is necessary to go into detail when writ¬ 
ing upon some subjects, even in connection with business, and 
letters soliciting business may often very properly be written at 
some length. A letter giving an order, acknowledging receipt of a 
remittance, and most other business letters need not be long. At 
the same time, they may be courteous and pleasing to the one who 
reads them. 

474. Order of pages.—In recent years it has become, among 
certain classes, the fashion to write upon the first page, skip to the 
third, return to the second, skip to the fourth, etc. It is an absurd, 
as well as an annoying, practice, and should be discouraged. 

475. Heading at end of a letter.—The custom of writing the 
date at the lower left corner, is, to say the least, annoying to those 
who desire to note at once the date of the letter. It is better not to 
indulge in any eccentricities in such matters. For people who have 
nothing else to do, it may be allowable; but busy people do not have 
time to look in unusual places for headings, addresses, signatures, etc. 



MlSCEIvLANEOUS HINTS. 


193 


476. Signatures* —While every word in a letter should be plainly 
written, especial care should be taken in writing the name, that 
there may be no possible question as to how it is spelled. Signing 
the name hurriedly, with lack of care, may cause much loss of time 
on the part of the reader, who is not familiar with the name, and he 
may not even then be able to spell it correctly. Sometimes a signa¬ 
ture is so illegible that it becomes necessary to cut out the name and 
paste it on the envelope of the answer, trusting to the post office 
experts, or the postmaster at the office of delivery, to read it. 

In writing to a stranger, a woman should sign her name so as to 
indicate her sex, also whether she be married or single. If single, 
she may write the title “Miss” in parenthesis, before her name; 
and, if married, she should write the title “Mrs.” in the same way. 

Every letter should be signed. It is astonishing how many let¬ 
ters are mailed without any signature, especially typewritten letteis. 
So many unsigned letters are sent that some firms have printed 
blanks, which they fill out and mail to the postmaster of the office 
at which the letter was mailed, informing him that a letter has been 
received from his office containing so much money, if that be the 
fact, and that no name was signed to the letter. Postmasters are 
requested to ascertain, if possible, who mailed the letter, and in 
many cases they are able, in this way, to learn the name of the 
writer. All of this trouble and loss of time is caused by the lack of 
a very little care on the part of the writer, and it is not certain, 
even then, that his identity will be revealed. 

477. Paragraphing*—A paragraph should include the sentences 
that have a much closer relation to each other than to those that 
precede or follow. For example: if, after giving directions as to 
shipping goods, the writer complain of delay in filling a previous 
order, this complaint should form the subject of a new paragraph. 
The number of paragraphs to use depends entirely upon the sense. 
A letter may have few or many. 

Paragraphs are useful in marking the divisions of the writer’s 
thought, and thus securing the reader’s attention, by emphasizing 
the different points presented. When a letter is answered, the 
different topics in it are less likely to be overlooked if each be the 
siibiect of a separate paragraph. 




194 


LETTER WRITING. 


LETTERS OF INTRODUCTIOR 

478. A letter of introduction is one written for the purpose 
of introducing a person to a friend or acquaintance, and is commonly 
used only when a personal introduction is inconvenient. There are 
two kinds of letters of introduction, social and husiness. The 
following general suggestions will apply to both classes : 

479. Be careful whom you introduce* —Do not introduce any 
one socially, with whom you think your friend would not like to 
associate. By introducing an improper person to a business 
acquaintance you may do the latter a great injustice. 

480. Should he short* —Tetters of introduction should be short, 
as they are usually delivered in person, and it is embarrassing to 
wait for the reading of a long letter. 

481. Praise.—One may use the language of cordial friendship, 
but extravagant eulogy is out of place in written as well as in oral 
introductions. It is possible to do your friend an injustice by over¬ 
praising him, as well as by failing to state his real merits. 

482. Should not he sealed* —A letter of introduction should 
always be delivered unsealed to the one introduced that he may see 
its contents, if he so desire. 

A Business Tetter of Introduction. 

Dayton, Ohio, Nov. 4, ’98. 

Messrs. A. Burt & Co., 

St. Louis, Mo. 

Gentlemen:—This will introduce to you our friend and 

former bookkeeper, Mr. Chas. D. Ranney, who visits your city to engage 

in the hardware business. He is a capable, energetic, honorable gentle¬ 
man, and will, we are confident, be very successful in his new venture. 

Any courtesies you may show him will be duly appreciated by 

Yours very truly, 

Smith & Brown. 

483. The superscription* —The envelope address of a letter of 
introduction is the same as if it were sent by mail, except that the 

words, ‘Introducing-’ are written in the lower left corner, as on 

the envelope in Model 6. 






LETTERS OF APPLICATION. 


195 


484. Delivery•—The proper way to deliver a letter of^ introduc¬ 
tion is to send it to the person to whom it is addressed, with the 
name and address of the person introduced. The former should 
then call on the latter and offer his hospitality. 

In most cases, however, especially if it be a business letter of introduction, 
the bearer presents the letter in person. Care should be taken to present it at 
a time when it will cause the least inconvenience to the person ad^essed. 


LETTERS OF APPLICATION. 


485. By this heading we mean letters applying for employment. 
In such a letter, state your qualifications clearly, modestly, and in a 
business-like tone. Answer all particulars mentioned in the adver¬ 
tisement. Do not send the originals of testimonials in applying for 
a situation, but copy each testimonial on a separate sheet, marked 
“Copy” at the top of the page. As the success of the applicant 
often depends entirely upon his letter, careful attention should be 
given to the following : 

486. Should be carefully written*—The writer’s letter of appli^ 
cation is often the only evidence of his fitness for a position; there¬ 
fore, great care should be taken in the writing and in the wording of 
the letter. Numerous advertisements seen in the papers close with 
the words, “Apply in your own handwriting,” showing the 
importance that business men place upon good penmanship. Read 
your letter over carefully before sending, and if you see any way in 
which the wording might be improved, or find a single mistake, the 
letter should by all means be re-written. 

487. Your success in securing the place may depend upon slight 
extra trouble on your part in writing the letter. If the position be 
an important one, you will be almost sure to fail in securing it, 
unless your letter of application be carefully written. 

488. Wording of the letter*—The applicant should usually state 
what his education has been; what experience he has had in business, 
if any; his age; habits; qualifications, etc., and give any general 
information concerning himself which he thinks would interest 
the person addressed. It is well to enclose copies of letters of 







196 


LETTER WRITING. 


recommeruiation, if he have such. While the applicant should state 
his qualifications clearly, it is equally important that he state them 
modestly as well. 

A Specimen Eetter. 

Washington, D. C., Jan. 2, ’98. 

Mr. E. R. Harvey, 

City. 

Dear Sir :—In reply to your advertisement in this morning’s 
Star, I hereby apply for a position in your office. I am eighteen years 
old and a graduate of our High School, and Business College. 

I can refer you, by permission, to the principal of either school; 
also to Mr. C. A. Frost, in whose office I was employed one year. 
Hoping to receive a favorable reply, I am. 

Very respectfully, 

Charles Deering. 


LETTERS OF CREDIT. 

489. A LETTER OF CREDIT is one in which the writer loans 
credit to another ; that is, he guarantees the payment of a certain 
sum in case the person asking credit fail to pay. 

490.. In Style, it closely resembles a letter of introduction. The 
model below is a good sample of letters of this class. 

Specimen Letter. 


Andover, O., Sept. 8, 1898. 

Messrs. Root & McBride Bros., 

Cleveland, O. 

Gentlemen :—Please allow the bearer, Mr. James C. 
Ranney, credit for any goods he may wish, to an amount not exceeding 
$1,500, on four months’ time, and I will be responsible to you for the 
prompt payment of the same. 

Should he make any purchases of you on account of this letter, 
please notify me of the amount, and in case of failure in payment of 
the account when due, notify me immediately. 

Yours truly, 

Mr. Ranney’s signature.^ * Chas. A. Hubbard. 

James C. Ranney. 


*If the bearer be not known to the party of whom credit is asked, the letter should 
contain his signature. 






LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION. 


197 


LETTERS OF RECOM MENDATION. 

491. A RECOMMENDATION is sotiietinies given in a letter of 
introduction, but is generally a separate letter. Great care should 
be exercised in giving letters of recommendation. Do not recom¬ 
mend any one too highly and never recommend an unworthy person; 
innocent persons may suffer by placing confidence in what is said in 
a letter that over-praises. 

The value of a letter of recommendation depends largely upon 
the character and standing of the writer, and the letter should show 
on its face that it is written with perfect candor, and that the writer 
is impartial in his opinions. One who has already gained the confi¬ 
dence of others in his good judgment, will not, of course, risk losing 
that confidence by recommending unworthy persons or speaking too 
highly of others. Kind-hearted persons often do themselves great 
injury rather than refuse to give a letter of recommendation, or by 
failing to state the exact facts. A too highly-colored letter of 
recommendation not only injures the one who writes it, through the 
loss of confidence in him, of which it is pretty sure to be the cause, 
but rarely, if ever, really benefits the person in whose favor it is 
written. No one should expect or ask for more in a letter of recom¬ 
mendation, and it ought to be the pride of every man who writes 
such a letter, to feel that his letter will have weight because it is 
known that he commends only the deserving and the competent, 
and recommends truthfully. 

Recommendations may be special or general. Special letters are 
addressed like ordinary letters, to some person, while the other class 
should be addressed in a general way “To whom it may concern,” 
or “To the public,” etc. 

The following are examples of the two classes: 

A General Letter of Recommendation. _ 

New Orleans, La., July i, 1898. 

To whom it may concern: 

This to certify that Mr. Charles A. Scott has been in our employment 
during the past three years. He is a faithful, hard working, and reliable 
young man, and we take pleasure in recommending him to anyone in 
need of such services as he can render. 

Respectfully, 

John C. Brown & Co 






198 


LETTER WRITING. 


A Special Letter of Recommendation. 


123 E. 14th St., New York, 

January 14, 1898. 

Mr. E. A. Hammond, 

Chicago, Ill. 

Dear Sir: 

The bearer of this letter, Miss Millie Humphreys, visits your city 
to find employment as an amanuensis. She has been with us during the 
past three years, has given excellent satisfaction, and only leaves our 
employment because she has friends in Chicago, and prefers a residence 
in that city. 

Miss Humphreys writes shorthand rapidly, and makes an excellent 
transcript on either the Remington typewriter or the Caligraph. 

If you can aid her in securing employment, it will be a special favor 
to her as well as to us. 

Very truly yours, 

J. C. Williams & Co. 


LETTERS ACKNOWLEDGING RECEIPT 
OF MONEY. 

492. A receipt should alv^ays be sent for money received in a 
letter. This receipt may be embodied in a letter, or it may be sepa¬ 
rate; in either case, the amount received should be stated, and, also, 
the account or thing for which it was received. The receipt, of 
course, should be sent promptly, that one may know his remittance 
has been received. 

Specimen Letters. 


Cleveland, O., Jan. i, 1898. 

Messrs. Samuel Morgan & Co., 

San Francisco, Cal. 

Gentlemen,—Your favor of the 25th ult., enclosing New York draft 
for I26.30 in payment of your account, came duly to hand. 

Thanking you for promptness in remitting, and hoping to receive 
further orders from you, we are. 

Very respectfully yours, 

S. C. Brown & Co. 


















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lyBTTEJRS ORDERING GOODS. 


199 


Some firms use a printed form similar to the following, for such 
purposes, in which case it is only necessary to fill the blank spaces; 

OFFICE OF 

J. H. HAMMOND & CO., 

85 Main Street. 

Buffalo, N. Y., . j8g. . 


Dear Sir : 

Your favor enclosing . 

for $ . duly received, for which please accept 

our thanks. 

Yours very truly. 


LETTERS ORDERING GOODS. 


493. A i^ETTER ORDERING GOODS should contain very few words, 
except the order, unless there are some special instructions to be 
given. The order may be embraced in the body of the letter, or 
may be written on a separate sheet. If the list of goods be written 
in the letter, it is well to make a separate line for each item, begin¬ 
ning these lines directly under one another and to the right of the 
marginal line of the letter, as in the following model: 


Detroit, Mich., Oct. i, 1898. . 


American Book Co., 

806 Broadway, 

New York, N. Y. 

Gentlemen;—Send at once, by American Express, the following goods: 
25 sets Spencerian New Standard Copy Slips, 

50 gross Spencerian Pens No. i, in gross boxes, 

4 gross Oblique Penholders. 

Please bill at 60 days, as heretofore. 

Yours very truly, 


John Jones. 













200 


LETTER WRITING. 


In ordering any kind of goods, write distinctly just what is 
wanted, so that there may be no error in filling your order. Unless 
the party knows from your previous orders the conveyance by which 
you wish the goods shipped, it is well to state your preference. 

494. Goods sent C O. D*—Packages are often sent by express, 
C. O. D. (collect on delivery). In such cases, the bill is payable 
to the Express Company on delivery of the goods. Packages on 
which a small amount is to be collected, or packages to strangers, or 
to customers whose financial standing is in question, are often 
shipped in this way. Ordinarily the person receiving a C. O. D. 
package pays the express charges on the goods, and also pays for 
returning the money. The Express Company collects the return 
charges of the shipper, unless he has written on his invoice, or 
envelope containing the same, the words ‘Collect return charges;’ 
or the word ‘and’ may be written before the printed words “. . . . 
Return charges.” Some Express Companies have words to the 
same effect printed on their C. O. D. envelopes. 


LETTERS ENCLOSING A REMITTANCE. 

495. It is not generally considered safe to enclose currency or 
silver in a letter. The more common ways of remitting are by bank 
draft, check, post office money order, express money order, and 
registered letter. 

496. Checks,—Most business houses, at the present day, pay 
nearly all of their local bills by bank checks. Checks were not sent 
to out of town correspondents formerly, as the receiver usually had 
to pay for their collection, but now firms remit their checks in pay¬ 
ment of bills to persons in all parts of the country, doing a regular 
banking business. In such cases the receiver deposits them the 
same as drafts, and usually without having to pay for their collection. 

497. Drafts,—Bank drafts, usually New York or Chicago 
Exchange, may be purchased of your local bank. This is perhaps 
the safest and most convenient way of remitting money. Banks do 
not like to issue drafts for sums less than $5, and for smaller 
amounts, post office or express money orders or postal notes may ]y 
purchased. 





LETTERS ENCLOSING A REMITTANCE. 


201 


498. To order. —A draft or check should always be made “to 
order,” unless the person to whom it is given makes a special 
request otherwise; it may then be made “to bearer,” to save him the 
trouble of identification. If the draft or check be made to order, ic 
is necessary for the payee to endorse it before he can collect the 
same, and it then becomes to the payer a receipt for the amount. 

499. Folding the enclosure. —It is better to fold a draft, check, 
or money order with the letter; this makes the best fold for it, and 
it is not so likely to drop out unnoticed when the letter is opened. 
If the letter be on note paper, place the remittance kagihwise of it 
before folding; if letter size, put the enclosure in after folding once, 
then give to both letter and enclosure the other two folds. 



The Above Illustration Shows How to Enclose a Check. Draft, etc., in a Business Letter. 


500. Endorsement. —A draft or check should always be endorsed 
across the left end; then, as the bank clerk turns the paper over 
with his right hand, the endorsement is right side up and at the top 

























































202 


LETTER WRITING. 


of the check. If endorsed across the right side, the clerk will have 
to turn the check end for end to read the endorsement. 

501. Money orders* —Money orders are issued by the post office 
department on all the principal post offices in the United States, at 


the following rates: 

Orders for sums not exceeding $ 2.50. 3 cents. 

Over $ 2.50 and not exceeding $ 5.00. 5 cents. 

Over $ 5.00 and not exceeding $ 10.00. 8 cents. 

Over |io. 00 and not exceeding I 20.00 . 10 cents. 

Over $ 20.00 and not exceeding $ 30.00.12 cents. 

Over $30.00 and not exceeding $ 40.00.15 cents. 

Over I40.00 and not exceeding $ 50.00.18 cents. 

Over $50.00 and not exceeding $ 60.00.20 cents. 

Over $60.00 and not exceeding $ 75.00.25 cents. 

Over $75.00 and not exceeding $100.00.30 cents. 


The remitter who desires to relieve the payee or his indorsee or attorney 
from the inconvenience of proving identity at the office of payment, by the 
testimony of another person, may do so, at his own risk^ by signing the 
required form. 

The maximum amount for which a single money order may be issued at an 
office designated as a “Money Order Office” is $100, and at an office designated 
as a “Limited Money Order Office,” $5. When a larger sum is to be sent, 
additional orders must be obtained. But postmasters are instructed to refuse 
to issue in one day to the same remitter, and in favor of the same payee, on any 
one post office of the fourth class, money orders amounting in the aggregate to 
more than $300, as such office might not have funds sufficient for immediate 
payment of any large amount. Fractions of a cent are not to be introduced. 

These are made “to order” and the receiver must be identified 
before he can collect them. This, therefore, is a very safe way of 
remitting money. 

502. Express orders*—The principal express companies now 
issue money orders payable either “to order” or “to bearer” at the 
following rates; 

Not exceeding $5. 5 cts. $30 to $40.15 cts, 

$5 to $10. 8 “ 40 to 50 18 “ 

10 to 20. 10 “ 50 to 60.20 “ 

20 to 30. 12 “ 60 to 75.25 “ 

$75 to $100.30 cts. 

503. Registered letters*—^The post office department registers 
either letters or packages to any post office in the U. S. Th 2 fee for 
registering a letter or package is 8 cents, in addition to the postage. 
The postage and fee for registering must be fully prepaid. A 
receipt is given by the department for such letter or package; each 
employe through whose hands it passes, takes a receipt from the 






















LETTERS ENCLOSING A REMITTANCE. 


203 


one to whom he delivers it; and a receipt from the person to whom 
the letter or package was directed reaches the sender in due time. 
Sometimes letters are registered just for the purpose of getting a 
receipt from the one addressed, to know positively that he received 
the letter. Registering is an inexpensive and comparatively safe 
method, employed most in sending valuable packages, and small 
sums of money to places that are not money order post offices. 

504. Money by telegraph*—Telegraph and express companies 
will telegraph their agents at any important city or village office, to 
pay money to a person specified. The rates are given on page 208. 

505. A letter with a remittance*—A letter explaining what a 
remittance is for should always accompany it, except when the 
amount is for payment of a bill which is enclosed. In such cases, a 
letter may be written, but if one is not, it will be understood for 
what purpose the remittance is made. 

506. Be careful in directing envelopes containing valuable 
papers. In one year 5,467,042 letters and packages opened at the 
dead letter office were found to contain money, drafts, checks, 
notes, postal notes, postage stamps, etc., to the amount of 
$1,384,563-21. 

Specimen Tetters. 

-—-—-T 

Andover, Ashtabula Co., O., 

The Tribune, Nov. 6, 1897. 

New York, N. Y. 

Find enclosed post office money order for $ 1.00 to pay for 

the weekly “Tribune” one year from Nov. ist, 1897. 

Yours truly, 

Henry Adams. 

The following letter should contain two enclosures, the draft and 
the bill. A similar form may be used for letters enclosing checks, 
money orders, express orders, etc.: 

Baltimore, Md., July 3, 1898. 

Messrs. Ranney & Raymond, 

Boston, Mass. 

Gentlemen:—Inclosed find N. Y. draft for $36.73 in full 

ct our account. 

Please receipt and return the bill, and oblige. 

Yours truly, 

John Jones. 








204 


LETTER WRITING. 


LETTERS ENCLOSING INVOICE* 

507. When goods are shipped, a letter or invoice, or both, 
should always be mailed to the consignee. Unless special informa¬ 
tion is to be given, it is customary with most business men to mail 
simply the invoice of goods, and state thereon the name of the 
company by which the goods were shipped. Others enclose the 
invoice in a letter of one or two lines, similar to the following: 

AMERICAN BOOK CO., 

PUBWSHKRS, 

806 Broadway. 

Mr. John Jones, New York, Oct. 3, 1898. 

Detroit, Mich. 

Dear Sir : —Enclosed find invoice of books ordered by you on the 
ist inst., and shipped you today by American Express. 

Hoping they will reach you in good condition, and prove satisfactory, 
we are. Very truly yours, 

American Book Co., 

Per C. W. H. 


PUBLIC LETTERS. 

508. Public letters are communications for publication, written 
in the form of a letter. They are generally addressed to some 
individual. This form of writing is adopted because it arouses 
personal interest in what is said, and admits of a more informal style 
of composition. Most of the letters published in newspapers are 
addressed either to the editor, or some public man. 

509. How to write for the Press*—All copy for a printer should 
be on one side of the paper only. Write plainly, and be careful in 
the spelling, capitalization, paragraphing, etc. Number the pages. 
Always give your own name and address; not for publication, 
necessarily, but as a guarantee of good faith. If you do not wish 
your name published, you may sign the letter with an assumed name; 
in addition you must not fail to give your own name and address, 
otherwise your letter will certainly find its way into the waste basket. 

Have the copy typewritten, if convenient. One may then see in 
advance how it will look in print, and revisions may be made in the 
copy rather than in the proofs, which is more satifactory to both 
author and printer. 







V 


4< //y/: 














LETTERS OF CONGRATULATION. 


206 


LETTERS OF CONGRATULATION. 


510. A LETTER OF CONGRATULATION is OHO written to a friend 
who has just met with some good fortune. It should, of course, be 
written in a cheerful, lively style suited to the occasion. Anything 
of an unpleasant nature concerning yourself, matters of advice, 01 
other subjects, should not be mentioned in such a letter. The 
following model is one of this class of letters : 


Cleveland, O., Aug. 8, 1897. 

Friend Charles: 

I am greatly pleased to learn that, notwithstanding the 
general dullness of business, you have succeeded in obtaining a clerkship. 
I doubt not your firm will regard themselves fortunate in securing your 
services. In the meantime, accept my congratulations upon your success. 
Hoping your stay may be permanent and prosperous, I am. 

Truly yours, 

C. A. Leonard, Irving Eliott. 

Washington, D. C. 


LETTERS OF CONDOLENCE. 


511 . A LETTER OF CONDOLENCE is oue written to a friend who 
has suffered some loss or bereavement. Such a letter is one of the 
most difficult of all to write. It requires good taste and sympathetic 
feeling. In offering condolence, carefully avoid recalling to the 
sufferer the details of the case, and do not attempt to argue on the 
subject. Reasons that should appeal to the head cannot affect the 
heart. Of course, never insinuate that your friend is in the least 
directly or indirectly to blame. What is most needed at such a time 
is sympathy. Kndeavor to show your friend, as much as is possible 
in words, that you are ready and anxious to share his grief, and 
your sympathetic feeling will thus lessen the sorrow. 

The following letter, written to John Adams on the death of Mrs. 
Adams, is one of the finest models of this class of letters ; 







206 


LETTER WRITING. 






Monticello, November 13, 1818. 

The public papers, my dear friend, announce the fatal event of 
which your letter of October the 20th had given me ominous foreboding. 
Tried myself in the school of affliction, by the loss of every form of con¬ 
nection which can rive the human heart, I know well, and feel what you 
have lost, what you have suffered, are suffering, and yet have to endure. 
The same trials have taught me that for ills so immeasurable, time and 
silence are the only medicine. I will not, therefore, by useless con¬ 
dolences, open afresh the sluices of your grief, nor, although mingling 
my tears with yours, will I say a word more where words are vain, but 
that it is of some comfort to us both that the time is not very far distant 
at which we are to deposit in the same cerement our sorrows and suffering 
bodies, and to ascend in essence to an ecstatic meeting with the friends 
we have loved and lost, and whom we shall still love and never lose 
again. God bless you and support you under your heavy affliction. 

Th. Jefferson. 


One of the tenderest of Abraham I^incoln’s traits is preserved 
—and with it the remembrance of a heroic mother—in a letter of 
sympathy, read aloud at a Memorial day service lately, and addressed 
to Mrs. Bixby, Boston, Massachusetts. It ran thus : 

1 

1 

1 

1 

Executive Mansion, Washington, November 21, 1864. 

Dear Madam :—I have been shown in the files of the War Depart¬ 
ment a statement of the adjutant general of Massachusetts that you are 
the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. 

I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should 
attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I 
cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in 
the thanks of the republic they died to save. 

I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your 
bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and 
lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a 
sacrifice upon the altar of freedom. 

Yours sincerely and respectfully, 

Abraham Lincoln. 
























t 


> • 




TELEGRAMS. 


207 


TELEGRAMS* 


512. Telegrams are so much used now in business, that to be 
able to write a good message is one of the desirable qualifications for 
a business man. 

In telegraphic dispatches we omit the salutation and complb 
mentary close. Such messages should be expressed in the fewest- 
possible words to make the meaning clear. Until one has had 
experience in this kind of composition, he might write the message 
at length, and then cut out all unnecessary words, if difficulty be 
experienced in expressing the meaning in few words. 

Be careful not to condense so much as to make the message 
unintelligible; one may thus, by trying to save the slight extra cost 
of a word or two, lose what is paid for the whole telegram, besides 
failing in the object for which it is sent. Read your message 
carefully after it is written, and see whether it states clearly what 
you mean. It might be well to read the telegram to a disinterested 
person, if it be an especially important one, to see whether it is under¬ 
stood by others. Much of the telegraphing by business houses, at 
the present day, is in cipher. Important matters may thus be 
telegraphed without giving information, except to those entitled to 
it, and at a great saving in expense. This is done by preparing a 
code of words, arranged alphabetically in which a single word stands 
for a phrase or sentence; as. Abide may mean ‘ I arrived here today. ’ 
This code is printed and a copy furnished by the house to each of its 
traveling men, and the principal firms with whom it does business. 
It is mostly used in ordering goods, and for communications between 
traveling men and their employers. 

Numerals and characters in a message must be written in words, 
as “$60.00” would be written sixty dollars, and “io%” should be 
written ten per cent. 

It is not necessary to insert words of urgency, as ‘at once,’ 
‘immediately,’ etc.; the fact that a telegram is sent implies urgency. 

Messengers must leave a notice at the place of address, when 
a person authorized to receive the message cannot be found. 

513. Rates*—Telegraph companies charge a certain amount for 
a message not exceeding ten words, and extra for each additional 




208 


LETTER WRITING. 


word, the cost depending upon the distance, the transfers, etc. The 
name of the place the message is sent from, date, address, and the 
signature are not counted in estimating the number of words, except 
in cable messages. Compound words, as found in dictionaries, are 
counted as one word. Each initial in a name is charged as a 
separate word, but the initials, ‘C. O. D.’ (collect on delivery), 
‘f. o. b.’ (free on board), ‘A. M.,’ ‘P. M.,’ and a few other abbre¬ 
viations are sent as one word. 

All unpronounceable groups of letters are counted one word for 
each letter; as, Cpr., Chd., Wss., which are combinations of the 
initials of the names of firms or corporations. They are not accepted 
as one word. 

514. Night messages* —Telegraph companies send messages at 
night, when their business is light, at greatly reduced rates. Such 
messages are not delivered until the following morning. 

515. Money by telegraph* —The following are the Western Union 
Telegraph Co.’s rates, not including the cost of the telegram : 

First. —One per cent on all sums of $25 or more, and twenty-five 
cents in each case for smaller amounts. 

Second —for the message.—Double tolls, at regular day rates, on 
a single message of fifteen words, between the transfer places. 
However, not more than $2.70 is charged, so that no single transfer 
will cost more than $2.70 in addition to the percentage first named. 

Deposits for transfer mast be made in current bankable money. 
Checks are not taken, nor fractional parts of a dollar transferred. 

The Older transferring money may require identification of the 
payee, or it may waive identification. 

The Balance Sheet of June 30, 1896, shows the following facts 
about the Western Union Telegraph Co.:— 


Capital Stock. 

The Bonded Debt. 



Assets (in round numbers). 

Receipts. 

Expenses. . 

Profits... . 



Miles of poles and cables. 

Miles of wire. . 



Offices.: . 

Messages... 

Average cost of message to sender. 

Average cost of message to company. . . 



















ADVERTISING. 


209 


ADVERTISING- 


516. The writing of circulars and newspaper advertisements has 
come to be an art at the present day. In our larger cities, men who 
make this their profession give their entire time to writing advertise¬ 
ments for whomever may apply, and is willing to pay them for such 
services. With the competition we have now, in almost all kinds of 
business, there is no doubt that the success of many firms is due 
largely to their style of advertising. The subject, therefore, is worthy 
of special and careful attention. To know just what to say, and how 
to say it, in a way that will attract the attention and win the patron¬ 
age of the reader, is an art well worth acquiring. With the cease¬ 
less and sharp competition that most business houses have to meet, 
it seems necessary to do more or less advertising, in one way or 
another. We should, therefore, study to make our advertisements 
attractive and to the point. As a general rule, the business man 
can, on account of his better knowledge of his business, write his 
own advertisements better than any one he can employ. To be able 
to do this, however, requires study and practice on his part. Some 
of the largest advertisers have many other things to give their 
attention to, and therefore employ a man who spends his whole time 
in looking after their advertising. In partnerships, one member of 
the firm usually has sole charge of the advertising department. The 
man who would be successful should not under-estimate the value of 
advertising. 


NOTES AND CARDS- 

517. Most of us have more or less to do with visiting, business, 
and professional cards, and the various social forms, such as invita¬ 
tions, acceptances, regrets, cards of thanks, etc. 

A few general hints are here given in reference to them, without 
devoting much space to this part of the work. 

518. Special features-— The following are the ways in which 
notes differ from letters; they are more formal; they are written 
wholly in the third person; the date is usually at the bottom, and 
the signature is generally omitted. 







210 


LKTTKR WRITING. 


Care should be taken not to change from the third person to the 
first or second. The following is an example of such error: 

“Miss Jones is much obliged to Mr,, Smith for his handsome Christmas 
present. I would have written you sooner if I had not been out of the city.” 

519. Materials*—The paper and envelopes should be plain and 
of rich quality. For weddings use pure white, but delicate tints are 
allowable for other occasions. White is always in good taste. 

Size.— ^The styles as to size and shape vary so much and change 
so often that no definite information can be given on this subject. 

Envelopes. —Invitations to parties, weddings, etc., are generally 
enclosed in two envelopes; the inside envelope of the same quality 
as the paper, the outside one not so fine. The full post office address 
is written on the outer envelope, and the name or names of those 
invited, on the inner envelope. Answers to invitations do not 
require two envelopes, nor do personal or private notes. 

520. French Phrases*—The following French phrases and words, 
or their initials, are sometimes used on notes and cards: 

R. S. V. P.— Repondez s'il vous plait, —answer, if you please. 

P. P. C.— Pour prendre conge, —to take leave. 

Costume de rigueur, —full dress, in character. 

Bal masque, —masquerade ball. 

Soiree dansante, —dancing party. 

These phrases are, however, passing out of use. 


WEDDING INVITATIONS* 


521. Invitations to weddings should be issued ten days or 
more before the ceremony, by the bride’s parents or nearest friend. 

They may be engraved in script, written, or printed from type, 
on cards or note paper. The note form is preferable for an invita¬ 
tion of this kind. The form of invitation following does not 
require an answer. It is usually accompanied by a church admis¬ 
sion card, and sometimes a reception card is also sent with the 
invitation. 

















\ 






WEDDING INVITATIONS. 


211 


Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Collins 
invite you to he present 
at the marriage of their daughter 
Edith 
to 

Mr. Harry K. Holloway^ 

Tuesdayy March twenty-sixths 
Eighteen hundred and ninety-eighty 
^ at eight o'clock. 

Grace Churchy 
Kansas Cityy Missouri. 

522. Announcement*—Sometimes an announcement card or note 
is issued after the wedding, announcing the marriage, and enclosing 
a reception card to the friends whom it is desired to receive. 

The following is one of the numerous forms that may be used: 

Mr. Charles S. Cadwalladery 
Miss Caroline A. Youngs 
Marriedy 

Wednesday y April twenty-first y j886. 

At Homey 

Thursdayy May 2 jth and fune jdy 
p6 Prospect Avenuey 
BuffalOy N. Y. 

523. Wedding Anniversaries*—People sometimes celebrate anni¬ 
versaries of their marriage, and this is a commendable custom, if the 
occasion be made one of congratulation and reminiscence, not of 
formality and ostentation. The following are observed; 






212 


I^ETTER WRITING. 


The first anniversary is called the Paper Wedding; fifths Wooden Wedding; 
tenth,. Tin Wedding; fifteenth. Crystal (glass) Wedding; twentieth, China 
Wedding; twenty-fifth. Silver Wedding; thirtieth. Pearl Wedding; fortieth. 
Coral Wedding; forty-fifth. Bronze Wedding; fiftieth. Golden Wedding; and 
the seventy-fifth, Diamond Wedding. 


DINNERS. 


524. A well appointed dinner is one of the pleasantest occasions 
of social life. The company being more select than at ordinary 
parties, greater care is observed in regard to all arrangements. To 
avoid mistakes, one should be careful as to the day and hour named 
in the invitation, and each should be addressed to the person for 
whom it is intended. 

The invitation may be either written or printed. Invitations to 
dinners should always be answered, as it is necessary for the host to 
know how many persons will be present on such an occasion. 


PARTIES. 

525. Simple forms are in best taste for invitations to parties. 
The following is commended as a model: 


Senator and Mrs. Sherman request the 
pleasure of your company, on Wednesday 
Evening, January fourth, from eight to twelve 
of lock. 

20p Indiana Avenue. 


526. Familiar Notes. —If the persons are on intimate terms, the 
formal style of invitation may be omitted, and that of a familiar 
letter used instead, or for a child’s party a style like the following: 








acceptances and regrets. 


213 


1884. 1889. 

Come and see me, little friend, 

Some afternoon at three; 

Bring your Dolly, if you can, 

And stay till after tea. 


Harriette Ellen O' Donald, 
At Home, 

Friday afternoon, May third. 
Three o'clock. 

2iy E. Tenth St., Topeka. 


ACCEPTANCES AND REGRETS. 


527. Answers to invitations are of two kinds; acceptancefe and 
regrets. 

528. When Necessary* —Invitations to receptions, weddings, 
parties, and all other social entertainments, except dinners, do not 
require an acceptance, unless they contain the letters R. S. V. P., 
or their equivalent. Failure to answer, is understood as an accept¬ 
ance. If a person be unable to attend, he should send his regrets. 

529. Dinners.— An invitation to a dinner or gathering of any 
kind where it is understood a certain number are invited, should 
always be accepted or declined. If, after accepting, a person finds 
it absolutely necessary to absent himself, he should immediately send 
a regret, stating reasons why he cannot attend. 

530. The time to send.— An invitation to a dinner should be 
answered immediately. Other invitations requiring an answer 
should be answered within three days after they are received. If a 
person find, at the last moment, that it is impossible to attend, a 
regret should be sent the day after the party. 

531. Whom to address. —An answer, in general, should be 
addressed to the person giving the invitation. If it be a joint invita¬ 
tion from husband and wife (“Mr. and Mrs. John Smith”)* it should 
contain a recognition of both, and the envelope should be addressed 
to the wife alone (“Mrs. John Smith”). 








214 


letter writing. 


532. Style*—An answer should correspond in style to the invita¬ 
tion, and be correspondingly formal or familiar. 

533. Reason of non-acceptance.—If a regret be sent, it is more 
friendly and courteous to give reasons for non-attendance, than 
simply to decline, without giving the cause. 

534. Delivery.—Notes addressed to a person living in another 
city, or out of town, are of course sent by mail, and are sent in this 
way to persons living in a distant part of the city. In other cases 
they are usually delivered by private messengers. 


CARDS. 


535. Cards may be divided into the following classes : Visiting, 
ceremonial, professional and ofiicial, and business. 

536. Visiting cards. —The proper uses of a visiting card are, first; 

537. To announce the visitor’s name.—On calling, a card is 
handed to the person who opens the door, and the caller inquires for 
the person or persons for whom the visit is intended. If “not at 
home, ’ ’ the caller leaves a card. Second, 

538. To announce a guest’s name at a reception.—When a person 
attends a party or reception, he should hand his card to the usher at 
the door, and always leave one in the card receiver. Third, 

539. To announce a departure from home. —A person living in 
the city may, on going away for a long absence, send to his friends 
a card with the letters P. P. C. on one of the lower corners. Fourth, 

540. To announce a return. —It is proper to announce a return 
to the city, by sending cards to visiting friends. Fifth, 

541. To accompany a letter of introduction. —As before stated, a 
person’s card should be sent with a letter introducing him. It 
should bear his temporary address and be enclosed in an envelope 
with the letter. Sixth, 

542. To make one’s self known to a stranger, a person may use 
his card for introducing himself. Seventh, 

543. To serve as a credential. —A card, especially a business or 
professional one, may be presented to a stranger as an indication 
that you are the person you represent yourself to be. 














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CARDS. 


216 


544. Inscription* —In addition to the name, the residence may 
also be given in the lower right or left corner. If a lady has a regular 
da3" or days for ;receiving, she sometimes announces this in the lower 
left corner; as, “Wednesdays,” or “Thursdays and Fridays,” etc. 

The elder of two or more daughters in the same family usually 
omits her first name on her card; as, “Miss Smith;” while the 
younger daughter uses the given name; as, “Miss Mary Smith.” 

545. Titles*— A title may be used or not, according to the taste 
of a person. Professional men and persons in high official positions, 
use their professional title on cards. Persons should not assume the 
title of Honorable, unless they occupy a public office entitling them 
to it. A man and his wife sometimes use a joint card; as, “Mr. 
and Mrs. Smith,” “Dr. and Mrs. H. A. Brown,” etc. 

A marriedTady, if her husband be living, uses her husband’s 
Christian name or initials instead of her own; as, “Mrs. James A. 
Brown.” 

546. Style* —Visiting cards vary in style and size to suit the taste 
and changing fashions. They should always be plain and neat. 
The most elegant cards are engraved or written; printed ones are 
not now used by the more fashionable people. 

547. Ceremonial cards* —Cards may be used to convey invitations 
to parties, receptions and weddings, but notes are usually preferable. 

548. Betrothal cards* —It is customary among some to announce 
a betrothal, and for this purpose either cards or notes may be used. 

The following wording is a good form: “Mr. Solomon Weiss, 
Miss Rebecca Wolf, betrothed, December 6, 1898.” 

549. Presentation cards* —Cards are very convenient as sub¬ 
stitutes for notes, to accompany a book or any other gift. 

550. Memorial cards*--It is customary in England, and to some 
extent in this country, to send memorial cards to friends of a 
deceased person. Such cards have a black border, narrow for the 
young, wide for the aged. Memorial cards should be sent out about 
one week after the funeral. 

551. Professional and official cards* —Cards are used by profes¬ 
sional men and public officers for professional and official purposes; 
the same card may be used, however, for social and business pur¬ 
poses. The person’s name, and his professional or official title 
should be given on such cards. 



216 


LETTER WRITING. 


552. Business cards»—Most business men use cards to show the 
business in, which they are engaged, and to give their address. 
These are generally used as a matter of convenience, although they 
may be made to answer advertising purposes. 

Generally business cards are handsomely engraved, but they 
may be printed from ordinary type. They should be plain, neat, 
and tasteful. 


TITLES. 

553. There are no rules for the use of titles, except those estab¬ 
lished by usage. We give elsewhere a list of the principal titles and 
their correct use and abbreviations, as recognized in the best social, 
business, and official circles. 

Titles may be divided into three general classes, socialy scholastic^ 
and official, 

554. Social titles*—Titles of courtesy and respect have aniversal 
application and should always be used, unless some official or 
professional title supersedes them. 

The ordinary titles are Mister,^ Messieurs^ Master (applied to 
boys), Mistress, abbreviated Mrs, (pronounced misses), and Miss^ 
all of which are prefixed to the name; also, Sir^ Gentlemen (plural 
only). Madam (plural Mesdames), and Ladies (plural only), which 
are always used without the name, as in the salutation of a letter. 
Sir, Esquire,^ Master,^ and Miss, are used both in the singular and 
plural; Mrs. and Madam in the singular only. 

555. Mister*—The contraction for this is ‘Mr.’ and it is rarely 
used in any other form. It should never be used except in con¬ 
nection with the name, and always precedes it. ‘Mr.’ has a wide 
range of application, as we appropriately say ‘Mr. President,’ ‘Mr. 
Chairman,’ ‘Mr. Speaker,’ ‘Mr. Secretary,’ ‘Mr. Chief Justice,’ 

‘Mr. Editor,’ ‘The Rev. Mr.-,’ etc. Messrs, is the French 

plural of Mr., there being no English plural of this word. Messrs, 
should never be used, as it sometimes is, without the names of the 
persons. It is as bad form to use Messrs, for the salutation of a 
letter as to use its singular, Mr, Never write “Mess.,” which is a 
contraction of a contraction. 







titi.es. 


217 


556 . Mistress is nearly always used in the abbreviated form, 
Mrs. It is used to precede the name of a married woman, and 
corresponds very closely to Mr. 

There being no plural in our language for Mrs., the French 
plural of Madam, Mesdames (abbreviation Mmes.) is sometimes 
used. This is the only title available in addressing a firm of ladies; 
otherwise, they would have to be addressed individually; as, “Mrs. 
Jones & Mrs. Smith.” The plural of the salutation Madam is 
Ladies. 

It is not in good taste to use “Lady”' instead of ‘Wife’ or ‘Mrs.,’ 
although this custom was formerly in good usage in England. You 
should write ‘Mr. Smith and Wife,’ or ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith,’ instead 
of “Mr. Smith and Lady.” ‘Mrs.’ or ‘Miss’ should never be used 
without the name, any more than ‘Mr.’ 

557. Miss.—This is not an abbreviation. It is used as a prefix 
and should never be used independently of the name. It has no 
independent appellative; there is no word in the English language 
that may be properly used as a salutation in addressing an unmarried 
lady. ‘Mr.’ has its correspondent ‘Sir,’ and ‘Mrs.’ its ‘Madam’ but 
there is none for ‘Miss’ or ‘Master.’ To address an unmarried lady 
as ‘Miss’ or ‘Dear Miss,’ for a salutation following the name and 
address, is as incorrect as it would be to use ‘Mr.’ or ‘Dear Mr.’ for 
the salutation in addressing a man. 

558. Mr. and Esquire.—These terms, as generally used, are inter¬ 
changeable, but the former has a wider application than the latter. 

‘Mr.’ may be applied to men of all classes, but ‘Esquire’ is 
properly applied only to persons of some prominence in society. 
Members of the Legal profession are nearly always addressed in 
writing as Esquire. 

559. Special uses of Mr., Mrs., and Miss.—Though not directly 
pertaining to correspondence, there are some uses of these titles 
which are worthy our notice. 

560. To denote prominence.—As men rise to distinction, all their 
titles are often dropped, and the plain ‘Mr.’ used, which receives 
lustre from their own character and work, and becomes to them a 
sign of true nobility. Hence we say, Mr. Sumner, Mr. Chase, Mr. 
Lincoln, Mr. Gladstone; and other titles, such as senator, excellency, 




218 


LETTER WRITING. 


or honorable, would not be so expressive of the high esteem and 
respect with which such men are regarded by the people. 

Mrs. and Miss are used in the same way to denote distinction; 
as, Mrs. Stowe, Miss Dickinson. In speaking of persons of the very 
highest distinction, all titles may be rejected; as, for example, 
Shakespeare, Milton, Martin Luther and Daniel Webster, are most 
honored in their own illustrious names alone. 

It is presumptuous and disrespectful to mutilate and contract the 
names of prominent and elderly persons; as, “Andy Johnson,” 
“Ben Wade,” “Joe Johnston,” etc. 

561. Three special uses of Mr. —If a person be the only one of 
the name in a certain place, or if his name be an unusual one, the 
title ‘Mr.’ may be prefixed to the family name alone; as, ‘Mr. Jones,’ 
<Mr. Thackeray.’ 

2 . ‘Mr.’ is used among gentlemen meeting in a social, literary, or 
scientific way, in addressing all their companions, whether they have 
a professional title or not; as, ‘Mr. Everett,’ ‘Mr. Bryant.’ This 
dropping of all other titles is due to the fact that on the floor of such 
assemblies all members are on an equality. 

S. ‘Mr.’ is often used before a professional or ofiicial title of 
prominent persons; as, ‘Mr. Senator,’ ‘Mr. President,’ etc. ‘Rev¬ 
erend’ is also similarly used, or with ‘The’ prefixed; as, ‘The Rev. 
Dr. Smith,’ ‘The Rev. Father Brown.’ The title ‘Rev.’ should 
never be used immediately before the surname. ‘Mrs.’ may also be 
used before a professional or official title in speaking of, or addressing 
married women; as, ‘Mr,s. General Sheridan,’ ‘Mrs. Chief Justice 
Fuller.” 

562. Scholastic titles. —These are degrees and honors conferred 
by scientific schools, colleges, universities, and other institutions of 
learning, or acquired in the practice of the learned professions. 
Regular degrees are conferred upon those completing a prescribed 
course and passing a certain examination; honorable degrees on per¬ 
sons who have become distinguished in public life or in literary and 
scientific studies. 

563. Reverend.— The title ‘Rev.’ is not regularly conferred, but 
always given by consent to those who have passed a required 
examination and have been regularly ordained. 




TiTIyES. 


219 


President^ Chancellory Rector^ DeaUy Professor^ and Master^ 
as titles, belong to the office rather than to the officer, and when the 
duties of these offices are discontinued, the titles are usually dropped; 
but after long, distinguished service, the title may be retained. 

564. Professor*—The title of professor may be possessed by 
courtesy or right. It belongs of right to any one elected by the 
proper authorities to a regular chair or professorship in an 
educational institution, organized with full departments and faculty, 
and conferring degrees under legal charter. 

Professor is now applied, however, to a salaried graduate actually 
employed in teaching, or whose duty it is to teach. The title is 
given, by courtesy, to scholars and scientists who have become noted 
as specialists in any department of knowledge, and to persons who 
have distinguished themselves as educators. 

565. Abuse of the title. —It is very common at the present day, 
for dancing masters, horse tamers, barbers, corn doctors, white 
w’ashers, and pretenders of all kinds, to assume the title of professory 
with the view to appear, in the eyes of the ignorant, of more 
importance than their calling or their attainments warrant. This 
tendency to bring an honorable title into contempt should be 
discouraged by all intelligent people. Professor, as well as other 
titles, should be used sparingly and with discrimination. 

566. Master*—Master is used in England and in some parts of 
this country instead of Principal or Teacher, but the word is very 
rarely used now in the United States. 

567. Doctor of Medicine (M* D*)—This title is used by right 
only by regular graduates of a medical college in good standing, and 
may be obtained by a person of either sex. A lady who is entitled 
to this degree may be addressed as ‘Carrie Smith, M. D.,’ or ‘Dr. 
Carrie Smith.' 

568. Abuse of this title, also, is no uncommon thing. In society, 
and especially in our larger cities, there are many persons who 
usurp this professional title and inflict upon the public unpro¬ 
fessional practice, for the sake of filling their pockets with money 
obtained by false pretense, from ignorant or trusting patients. Do 
not recognize or patronize such quacks. It is better always, in all 
professions, to go to men of good standing and in regular practice. 






220 


LETTER WRITING. 


569. Sisters of Charity♦—The form to use in addressing a Sister 
of Charity, Sister of Mercy, or a Sister in any similar order, is the 
same as that employed in writing to any unmarried lady, except that 
the title ‘Miss’ is omitted, and a salutation such as, ‘Dear Sister’ or 
‘Respected Sister’ may be used. 

570. Official titles,—These include the titles applicable tooflBcers 
in the Naval, Military, and Civil service of the U. S., and of the 
several states. The officer, on retiring from public service, again 
becomes a private citizen, but it is customary, as a compliment, to 
continue the official title during life, unless superseded by one more 
honorable. 

571. Honorable,—This title is very much misused. It belongs 
by courtesy to the Vice President of the United States, Members of 
Congress, Judges, Foreign Ministers that have no title more 
distinguished. Cabinet Officers, State and Territorial Governors, and 
Lieutenant Governors, Heads of Departments generally. Members of 
States Legislatures, and Mayors. 

572. The abuse of the title Honorable has brought it into such 
disrepute that it has less value than it should have. Because a man 
has been active in politics is no reason for his being called Honorable. 

Only those whose character, ability, and services have caused 
their election or appointment to the most important and responsible 
positions of the nation, state, or city, should be given the title 
Honorable. The title once acquired is retained through life. 

573. Military and Naval titles,—Military and Naval, like pro¬ 
fessional titles, are properly retained after long or distinguished 
service. A title really belonging to an officer is that named in his 
commission. 




GENERAL POSTAL INFORMATION. 


221 


GENERAL POSTAL INFORMATION. 


574. First class matter.—Postage two cents for each ounce or 
fraction thereof. Embraces all matter wholly or partly written, or. 
which is so done up as to prevent examination without destroying 
the wrapper, and must be prepaid at least one rate, two cents. 
Drawings, written cards, plans and designs are first class. 

575. Second class.—Pertains to publishers and news dealers. 
Embraces newspapers and periodicals, which may be mailed by ^ 
others than publishers, at the rate of one cent for each four ounces 
or fraction thereof, when they are enclosed in one wrapper, with 
the postage fully prepaid by stamps affixed. There is no limit to the 
weight of the package. 

576. Third class.—Postage one cent for each two ounces or frac¬ 
tion thereof. Embraces books (printed); and all printed matter in 
unsealed wrappers. The limit in weight is four pounds, except 
in the case of a single book, the weight of which is unlimited. The 
postage must be fully prepaid. Photographs are now third class. 

577. Fourth class.—Embraces all mailable matter not specified 
above; as, labels, patterns, playing cards, visiting cards, address 
tags, wrapping paper, blotting pads, bill heads, letter heads, envel¬ 
opes with printed address thereon, and all other matter of the same 
general character. Merchandise and samples are fourth class. It 
must be so wrapped as to admit of examination and it must be fully 
prepaid. Postage one cent for each ounce or fraction thereof. 

578. Forwarding.—Sealed letters are forwarded without the pay¬ 
ment of additional postage, when the address is changed, but Third 
and Fourth class matter is not forwarded until the regular postage 
is again paid. 

579. Unmailahle.—Liquids (except when packed as provided 
by regulation), poisons, explosive or inflammable articles, or any 
article which is liable to injure the mails or persons handling the 
same. Sharp pointed instruments, except when properly done up, 
are unmailable, also any matter not addressed to a post office. 

580. Drop letters.—The rate on letters to be delivered at the 
same office as mailed, is one cent, if it be not a free delivery office. 
At offices where the mail is delivered by carriers, the rate is two cents. 




222 


LETTER WRITING. 


581. Special delivery stamps*—A “special delivery stamp’’ 
placed on a letter or package, in addition to the regular postage, 
will insure its immediate delivery,—if received at a free delivery office 
between 7 A. M. and ii p. M., and if received at any other office 
between 7 A. M. and 7 p. M., within the carrier limits of a free 
delivery office, and within one mile of any other office,—at any post 
office in the United States. Special delivery stamps cost ten cents, 
and can be used only for the special purpose for which they were 
designed and not for the payment of regular postage. 

582. Postal cards are unmailable when anything is pasted on 
them or attached thereto, or when anything not necessary to 
complete the address is written or printed on the address side. 

583. Confectioneries are unmailable except when done up in a 
tin box, which box must again be placed in a pasteboard box. 

584. Fruits, except dried, are unmailable. Any matter exhaling 
bad odors is unmailable. 

585. To Canada and Mexico*—The rates of postage are the 
same as in the United States, except that sealed packages other than 
letters in their ordinary shape and form are absolutely excluded. 
The rates to other foreign countries vary, and may be ascertained by 
reference to the Postal Guide, a copy of which may be obtained of 
any postmaster. 

586. Registered letters*—Letters and packages may be registered 
to all offices of the United States, and to most foreign countries. 
The registry fee is eight cents in addition to the regular postage. 

587. Money orders on all principal offices of the United States 
may be purchased, payable “to order.’’ For rates, see page 202. 











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TO STENOGRAPHERS. 


223 


TO STENOGRAPHERS- 

588. The use of shorthand and typewriting has become so 

general, that it is quite proper to give some special hints to 
stenographers. Nearly all that has been said under other headings 
applies equally to type-written letters, and in addition we offer the 
following suggestions: • 

589. Dictation*—A stenographer should pay strict attention to 
details, be systematic, and especially careful. Notebooks should be 

numbered in consecutive order, and dated From.To.. 

and the date should be written at the beginning of each day’s dicta¬ 
tion. The letters should be numbered consecutively, beginning each 
day with i. They should be delivered in the order of their num¬ 
bers. The notes for each letter should be checked when written, 
or a line drawn through them to show that they have been trans- 
scribed. Proper names should be written in longhand unless they 
are very common. A stenographer should be in a position to hear 
distinctly, and if he fail to get any word or phrase it is better to 
ask the dictator for it at once than to make a failure in transcribing 
the notes. If you are not sure of the name, street number, po.st 
office, or state, ask at once. You are not employed as a mere 
machine, but are supposed to have brains and common sense. 

590. Transcribing.—It is a good plan, especially for the inex¬ 
perienced, to read the notes for each letter before transcribing. See 
that the letter makes sense, and that you do not insert, for the word 
dictated, a word of similar sound. Avoid errors and erasures. 
Read the notes far enough ahead of where you are writing to know 
just what you are to write, and form the habit of making your 
transcript absolutely correct at first. Erasures are made necessary 
chiefly through carelessness. Read a sentence or phrase, at least, 
ahead of where you are writing and carry that in your mind instead 
of referring to your shorthand notes for each word or two. 

591. Erasures may be almost entirely avoided if one form the 
habit of being careful and painstaking in his work, observing what 
has been said in regard to reading the notes first. Corrections 
always look bad in a letter, and it takes time to re-write. The best 
way is not to make errors. 






224 


LETTER WRITING. 


592. Spelling;, Punctuation, Capitalization, Language*—Probably 
more shorthand students fail from ignorance of these subjects than 
from lack of skill in typewriting and shorthand. No one can expect 
to succeed in this line of work and hold a position of any importance, 
unless he be qualified to spell, punctuate, and capitalize correctly, 
and write the English language with a reasonable degree of accuracy. 
A knowledge of these subjects should be acquired in the public 
schools; but, if they have been neglected, or if for any reason the 
student is deficient in them, he should lose no time in thoroughly 
qualifying himself. 

Do not, until you have consulted your dictionary, write any word 
about the spelling of which you have the least doubt. Bad spelling 
is really more to be avoided than any other error. Many who are 
otherwise proficient fail in securing positions on account of their 
incorrect spelling. 

The rules for capitalizing and punctuating, given elsewhere, 
should be carefully observed. The period is the only point of 
separation used by stenographers in taking notes; the commas, 
colons, semicolons, etc., being inserted in the transcript as the con¬ 
text suggests. 

593. Division of words at the end of a Iine*~A word should 
never be divided except between syllables, and if you are in the 
least doubt as to where to make this division, look in a dictionary 
before writing the word. When a single letter forms a syllable of a 
word, it should never be written alone at the end of a line or at the, 
beginning of a line. Always notice before reaching the end of a 
line how to make the correct division of words. 

594. Duplicate Letters*—It is often necessary to write many 
letters in duplicate, and there are numerous processes employed for 
this purpose. Perhaps the best invention for reproducing letters in 
fac-simile is the mimeograph. If not more than half a dozen or a 
dozen copies are required they may be made with carbon paper. In 
making carbon copies, always keep the sheets made with one 
impression together, so that it will be necessary to read only one of 
them by copy. 

595. The typewriter*—A thorough acquaintance with the 
machine and the manipulation of it is of first importance. To do good 
work, good tools must be used, and these tools must be kept m 



TO STENOGRAPHERS. 


225 


first-class condition. All good mechanics observe this rule, and the 
use of the typewriter is no exception. The machine must be kept 
clean, and all wearing parts—guide rails in particular—should be well 
lubricated with the best typewriter oil, and then wiped perfectly 
clean. You should attend to this daily. An even touch must be 
cultivated to produce good work, and all jerky movements avoided, 
as they are detrimental to speed, and cause many mistakes to be made. 

596. Spacing.—Spacing must be uniform to produce a good 
effect, otherwise the work will present an uneven appearance. A 
space should be made after punctuation marks, except where they 
separate figures; as, $9,000,837.00. Three spaces should be made 
after a period, when it ends a sentence, also the same number after 
exclamation and interrogation points. In taking hurried copies, the 
appearance of the work is not so important as getting it out in the 
shortest time possible, and spacing is omitted after punctuation marks. 

597. Form.—Special attention must be paid to paragraphing, so 
that the work may present a well-balanced appearance. Kach 
change of subject matter should begin with a new paragraph. The 
arrangement of the introduction and close of a letter must be well 
fixed in mind with regard to the points of the scale where each part 
commences. It is well to have a fixed rule for the beginning of 
each. The numbers in the following form indicate the figures on 
the typewriter scale where it is best to begin each part: 


Cleveland, 0#, July 4, 1898# 

1 

Mr# John Adams, 

10 

St# Clairsville, 0# 

1 

Dear Sir: 

10 

I have your favor of the 27th 
ultimo, and in answer, etc#, 

30 

Very truly yours, 

.... m . 

Supt# 











226 


LETTER WRITING. 


In the form given, the salutation might begin at lO, and the 
body of the letter following it on the same line, with a conuna 
and dash between, or the salutation at lo and the body of the letter 
on the next line at 11. 

598. Confidential Clerk*—No private secretary is more of a con- 
fidential clerk than the stenographer. All the shorthand and type¬ 
writing business of his employer should be regarded as strictly con¬ 
fidential. The amanuensis should not communicate, even to his best 
friends, information regarding his employer’s business. 

599. Have an interest in your employer’s business and in his 
property. Make his interests your own. Be as economical in the 
use of stationery and other materials as if you had to pay for them. 
Be faithful in little things as well as in more important matters and 
it will as surely be noticed as it will if you are not. You can do 
many small acts to show you are interested in your work, which will 
make your services, if not of more value to your present employer, 
recognized by others. It pays to do one’s best at all times. 

600. Common sense is a good thing to have and use in any 
calling, and may be made of special value in doing shorthand and 
typewriting work. When an amanuensis writes from his notes “We 
will expect you hear on the 14th inst.,^’ etc., an application of com¬ 
mon sense would have suggested h-e-r-e. Do not be a mere machine. 
First thinky then act. Before handing in work for approval, care¬ 
fully read it, looking for errors in spelling, punctuation, capitaliza¬ 
tion, and such mistakes in the words as are referred to above. A 
model type-written letter is given on the next page. 



TYPEWUrTCEH JarTER. 


227 


O. & Co St o Mary’s Palls Canal . 

UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, 


34 West Congress Street, 


Debroib, Micb*> _Ma y 4, 


Messrso Lamont, Fuller & Smith, 

242 Supe r i or St . , 

Cl eve 1 and, Ohi o • 

Gentlemen: --In response to your re® 
quest of the 3d inst « , I send you he r© «= 
with copy of History of ‘‘Sault Steo 
Marie Canal,’’ in which is printed a 
tabular Statement of the Commerce 
through St • Mary’s Falls Canal from its 
opening in 1885, to the close of 1887. 
Also a copy of my report for the year 
1888. Also a copy of Ex. Doc. No. 52. 
House of Representatives , 50th Con¬ 
gress, 2d Session, which brings the sta“ 
tistics of the Canal down to the close 
of 1888. 


Very respectfully. 



Colonel of Engineers, 
Bvt • Brig. Gen. U• S. A» 


3 Inc 1 osures 





228 


LETTER WRITING. 


CLASSIFICATION OF TITLES 

AND THEIR 

AlBBRHVIA'TIOKS. 


Scholastic Degrees are always abbreviated. In addressing an officer of high 
rank, abbreviations are not allowable ; as, President, Governor. Many abbrevia¬ 
tions of titles may be used in catalogues, on the title-pages of books, and other 
places, that are not allowable in addressing letters. In the address, no degree is 
used lower than Master or Doctor. We may write “James Brown, M. D. or A. 
M.,” but not “James Brown, A. B. or B. S.” A person that has no title higher 
than a bachelor’s degree, should be addressed simply Mr. or Esq, 


TITLES OF RESPECT AND COURTESY. 


Mister.Mr. 

Messieurs (Fr. pi. of Mr.) . . . Messrs. 

Gentlemen.. 

Sir, Sirs.. 

Esquire, Esquires .... Esq., Esqs. 
Master (a boy).. 


Mistress (pronounced Missis) . . . Mrs. 
Mesdames (Fr. pi.).Mmes. 


Madam.Mad. 

Madame (Fr.).Mme. 

Ladies.. 

Miss, Misses.. 


SCHOLASTIC TITLES. 

All of the following degrees and many others are authorized, but these are the 
more common ones: B. C. L., D. C. L., and a few others are conferred only by 
foreign universities. Harvard College confers only the following degrees; Regular — 
A. B., A. M., Ph. D., B. D., LL. B., S. B., S. D., C. E., M. D., D. M. D. ; 
Honorary —LL. D., D. D. Yale confers nearly the same, with the addition of 
Ph. B., D. E., and Mus. D. 

The Latin terms are given only when they are necessary to explain the abbreviation. 


DIVINITY. 

Bachelor of Divinity.B. D. 

Doctor of Divinity.D. D. 

Doctor of Divinity, Sanctcz Theologice 

Doctor .S. T. D. 

Doctor of Divinity, Doctor Theologice 

.D. T. 

Professor of Divinity, Sanctce Theologia 
Professor .S. T. P. 

LAW. 

Bachelor of Laws. LL. B. 

Master of Laws. M. L. 


Doctor of Laws.LL. D. 

Dr. of Laws, Jurum Doctor . . . J. D. 

Doctor of Civil Law, Juris Civilis Doc- 

tor .J. C. D. 

Bachelor of Civil Law . . • . B. C. L. 

Doctor of Civil Law.D. C. L. 

Dr. of both Laws, Canon and Civil, 
Juris utriusque Doctor . . . . J. U. D 

MEDICINE. 

Doctor.Dr. 

Bachelor of Medicine.M. B. 

Doctor of Medicine.M. D. 





























LIST OF TITLES. 


229 


Master in Surgery, Chirurgice Magister^ 

.C. M. 

Graduate in Pharmacy . . . Phar. G. 
Master in Pharmacy .... Ph'ar. M. 
Doctor in Pharmacy .... Phar. D. 
Doctor of Dental Surgery . . D. D. S. 
Doctor of Dental Medicine . D. M. D. 

PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE. 

Bachelor of Philosophy .... Ph. B. 

Doctor of Philosophy.Ph. D. 

Bachelor of Science.B. S, 

Master of Science.M. S, 

Doctor of Science.S. D. 

ARTS AND LETTERS. 
Bachelor of Arts. . . . B. A. or A. B. 
Master of Arts .... M. A. or A. M. 
Bachelor of Letters, Baccalaureus Liter- 

arum .... .B, Lit. 

Doctor of Letters, Literarum Doctor^ 

.Lit. D. 

Doctor of Polite Literature, Literarum 
Humanioruvt Doctor . . . . L. H. D. 

Poet Laureate (Eng.).P. L. 

MUSIC. 

Bachelor of Music . M. B. or B. Mus. 
Doctor of Music . . D. M. or Mus. D. 
DIDACTICS. 

Bachelor of the Elements . . . . B. E. 
Master of the Elements . . . . M. E. 

Bachelor of Science.B. S. 

Master of Science.M. S. 

Bachelor of the Classics . . . . B. C. 
Master of the Classics.M. C. 

TITLES OF SER’ 

THE CLERICAL SERVICE. 

A Bishop (Epis., Cath., et al.) :— Right 

Reverend.Rt. Rev. 

A Bishop (Methodist):—Reverend, Rev. 
A Presiding Elder (Methodist):—Rever¬ 
end .Rev. 

A Rector, Minister, Priest, Rabbi, or 
Reader.Rev. 


TECHNICS. 


Civil Engineer.C. E. 

Topographic Engineer.T. E. 

Dynamic Engineer.D. E. 


Military or Mechanical Engineer . M. E. 

The degrees of Bachelor and Master in each 
of the departments of engineering, and in 
chemistry and architecture are authorized, but 
are rarely conferred. 

FELLOWSHIPS, ETC. 

American. 

Fellow of the Am. Academy, Academice 

Americance Socius .A. A. S. 

Member of Am. Antiquarian Society, 
Aj7iericance Antiquariance Societatis Soci¬ 
us .A. A. S. S, 

Member of the Am. Oriental Society, 
Americance Orientalis Societatis Socius 

.A. O. S. S. 

Member of Am. Phil. Society, Societatis 

Philosophicce Americance Socius . . . 

.S. P. A. S. 

Fellow of the Mass. Medical Society, 
Massachusettensis Medicince Societatis 

Socius . M. M. S. S. 

Fellow of the Historical Society, Socie- 
tatis Historic Socius . . . . S. H. S. 
Fellow of Connecticut Academy, Conn. 
Academice Socius .C, A. S. 

These are the only American societies that 
confer memberships or fellowships that are 
recognized as titles. 

CE EX-OFFICIO. 

THE CIVIL SERVICE. 

National Government. 

The Chief Executive :— 

1. Civil: The President . . .Pres. 

2. Military: Commander-in-Chief of 
the Army and Navyo 
























230 


LETTER WRITING. 


The Vice-President, Ex-Officio President 


of the Senate:— 

Honorable.Hon. 

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court:— 

The Chief Justice.C. J. 

His Honor.. 

Associate Justices:— 

Justice.Jus. 

His Honor.. 

Foreign Ministers:— 

His Excellency.H. Exc. 

Honorable.Hon. 

Members of the Cabinet and Members 
of Congress.Hon. 


Heads of Bureaus, Asst. Secretaries, 
Comptrollers, and Auditors of the 
Treasury, Clerks of the Senate and 
House of Representatives . . . Esq. 

By Courtesy . Hon. 

All other U. S. Officers . . Esq. or Mr. 

STATE GOVERNMENTS. 

The Governor.Gov. 

Civil: His Excellency . . . H. Exc. 

Military : Commander-in-Chief. 

Sen. Judge of Supreme Court:— 

Chief Justice.C. J. 

His Honor.. 


Associate Justices:— 


Justice. 


Judge . 


His Honor. 


Lieutenant Governor, Heads of Depart- 

ments. State Senators g. 

Law Judges 



Mayors of Cities:— 


Honorable. 

. . . . Hon. 

His Honor. 


Members of the House of Representa- 

tives§. 


By Courtesy . . . , 


Aldermen, Magistrates, and all officers 

not specified. 


PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. 

Officers of Universities and Colleges:— 

Chancellor. 


Vice-Chancellor .... 

. V. Chanc. 

President. 


Vice-President .... 

. . V. Pres. 

Provost. 


Dean. 


Rector. 


Registrar. 


Librarian. 

.... Lib. 

Faculty and Instructors :— 


Professor. 

. . . . Prof. 

Lecturer. 


Tutor. 

....- 


^ There is a difference of opinion as to whether the title of Honorable” should be applied 
to members of the two houses of the Legislature. It is the custom of the State Department at 
Washington to apply the title of “ Esquire ” to members of both. 

The customs of the states vary. Perhaps the greater weight of opinion is in favor of the 
application of “Honorable” to members of the State Senate, and “Esquire” to those of the 
House of Representatives. In some states, the title “Honorable” is applied to the Speaker of 
the lower house, but not the other members. 


THE MILITARY AND NAVAL SERVICE. 

The command pertaining to the rank of general and line officers is printed 
under the title in finer print. Commands, however, are subject to change by 
assignment, and the laws governing the army organization have left it in an anom¬ 
alous state, and the rank of commands in an unsettled condition. The titles of 






































I.IST OF TITLES. 


231 


the general and line officers, placed opposite in the two columns, indicate relative 


rank in the two departments of service. 

Military Service (U. S. A.) 

GENERAL AND LINE OFFICERS. 

General.Gen. 

The armies of the U. S. 

Lieutenant General.Lt. Gen. 

An Army Corps, and Territorial Division. 

Major General.Maj. Gen. 

A Division, and Territorial Division. 

Brigadier General.Brig. Gen. 

A Brigadier, and Territorial Department. 

Colonel. . . . .•.Col. 

A Regiment. 

Lieutenant Colonel.Lt. Col. 

A Battalion, second in command, Regiment. 

Major.Maj. 

A Battalion, third in command. Regiment. 

Captain.Capt. 

A Company. 

First Lieutenant.ist Lieut. 

A Platoon, third in command. Company. 

Second Lieutenant.ad Lieiit. 

A Platoon, third in command. Company. 

Cadet.. 

Student at West Point Military Academy 

STAFF OFFICERS. 

Adjutant General.Adj. Gen. 

Rank of Brigadier General. 

Assistant Adj. Gen.A. A. G. 

Rank of Colonel to Major. 

Inspector General.Insp. Gen. 

Rank of Colonel. 

Assistant Insp. Gen.A. I. G. 

Rank of Colonel. 

Quartermaster General . . . Q. M, G, 
Rank of Brigadier General. 

Asst. Q. M. Gen. . . . . . A. Qo M, G. 
Rank of Colonel 


Naval Service (U. S. N.) 

LINE OFFICERS. 

Admiral.Adm. or Adml. 

The fleets of the U. S. 

Vice-Admiral.V. Adml. 

A Fleet or Fleets. 

Rear Admiral.R. Adml. 

A Fleet or Squadron. 

Commodore.Commo. 

Squadron, Ships of first class. 

Captain.Capt. 

Vessels of second class. 

Commander.Com. 

Vessels of third class. 

Lieutenant Com.Lt. Com. 

Vessels of fourth class. 

Lieutenant .Lieut. 

Executive Officer of fourth class. 


Master . .. 

Assistant Navigator. 


Ensign.. . . . 


Midshipman. 

, . Mid. 


Student of Annapolis Naval Academy. 

STAFF OFFICERS. 

Surgeon General. Surg. Gen. 

Rank of Commodore. 

Medical Director.Med. Dir^ 

Rank of Captain. 

Medical Inspector .... Med. Insp. 

Rank of Commander. 

Surgeon . . . Surg. 

Rank of Lieutenant Commander. 

Past Asst. Surg. P. A. Surg. 

Rank of Lieutenant. 

Assistant Surgeon .... Asst. Surge 
Rank of Master to Ensign. 



































232 


LETTER WRITING. 


Deputy Q. M. G . . . . Dep. Q. M. G. 

Rank of Lt. Colonel. 

Quartermaster.Q. M. 

Rank of Major. 

Asst. Quartermaster.A. Q. M. 

Rank of Captain. 

Commissary Gen. of Subsistence, C. G. S. 
Rank of Brig. Gen. 

Asst. C. G. S.A. C. G. S. 

Rank of Colonel to Lt. Colonel. 

Commissary of Subsistence . . . C. S. 
Rank of Major to Captain. 

Surgeon General ..... Surg. Gen. 
Rank of Brigadier General. 


Chief Medical Purveyor, Chf. Med. Pur. 

Rank of Colonel. 


Surgeon . 


Rank of Major. 


Asst. Surgeon. 

Asst. Surg. 

Rank of Captain to ist Lieutenant. 

Paymaster Gen. 

. P. M. G. 

Rank of Colonel. 


Assistant P. M. G . . . Asst. P. M. G. 

Rank of Colonel. 


Paymaster. 


Rank of Major. 


Chief of Engineers . . . . 

. , Chf. E. 

Rank of Brigadier General. 

Chief of Ordnance .... 

. Chf. Ord. 

Rank of Brigadier General. 

Judge Adv. Gen. 


Rank of Brigadier General. 

Judge Advocate. 

. . .J.A. 

Rank of Major. 


Chief Signal Officer . . . , 


Rank of Colonel. 



THE DIPLOMATIC AND 

Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Pleni¬ 
potentiary .E. E. and M. P. 

Minister Plenipotentiary . , Min. Plen. 


Paymaster General.P. M. G. 

Rank of Commodore/ 

Pay Director.. Pay Dii. 

Rank of Captain. 

Pay Inspector.Pay Insp. 

Rank of Commander. 

Paymaster.P. M> 

Rank of Lieutenant Commander. 

Past Asst, P. M.P. A. P. M 

Rank of Lieutenant. 

Assistant Paymaster.A. P. M, 

Rank of Master. 

Engineer-in-Chief .... Eng.-in-Chf 
Rank of Commodore. 

Chief Engineer.Chf. E, 

Rank of Captain to Lieutenant. 

Past Asst. Eng.P. A. Eng. 

Rank of Lieutenant to Master. 

Assistant Engineer.A. Eng 

Rank of Master to Ensign. 

Cadet Engineer.Cadet Eng 

Graduates of Naval Academy. 


Chaplain.Chap. 

Rank of Captain to Lt. Com. 

Chief of Construction .... Chf. Con. 
Rank of Commodore. 

Naval Constructor.Nav. Con. 

Rank of Captain to Lieutenant. 

Commandant.Comdt. 

Navy Yards and Stations. 

Navigator.Nav. 

Master of a Vessel. 

Captain (by courtesy).Capt. 

Master of a Merchant Vessel. 

CONSULAR SERVICE. 

Minister Resident.Min. Res, 

Minister Resident and Consul-General 

.M. R. and C. G, 
































FORMS OF ADDRESS AND SALUTATION. 


233 


Secretary of Legation . . . Sec. Leg. 

Interpreter.Int. 

Consul-General.C. G. 

Vice-Consul-General.V. C. G. 

Consul.C. 

Vice-Consul.V. C. 


Deputy Consul . . . . 


Consular Agent . . . . 

. . . Con. Agt. 

Commercial Agent. . 

.C. A. 

Agent. 


Marshal. 


Consular Clerk .... 



FORMS OF ADDRESS AND SALUTATION. 

The form of address is printed in plain Roman type, the salutation in italic. 

PERSONS IN THE LEARNED PROFESSIONS. 

THE CLERGY. 

A Bishop (other than a Methodist). 

To the Right Reverend-, D. D., Bishop of Ohio. Right Reverend Sir :—, 

or Right Rev. and dear Sir :—. 

Address a Methodist Bishop as Rev. simply. 

A Rector, Minister, Priest, Rabbi, or Reader. 

To the Rev.-. To the Rev. Dr. A-B-. The Rev. H. M. Ladd. 

D. D., Pastor (or Rector, as the case may be) of —— Church, Cleveland. Sir :—. 
Reverend Sir :—. Rev. and dear Sir :—. 

THE BENCH AND THE BAR. 

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. 

To the Hon.-, Chief Justice of-, etc. To the Chief Justice of the 

Supreme Court, etc. Sir :—. Mr. Chief Justice :—. Your Honor :—. May it Please 
your Honor :—. May it Please the Honorable Court :—. 

“Your Honor,” “May it Please,” etc., are terms used in court, not in private 
letters. 

An Associate Justice. 

To the Honorable -, Justice, etc. Or, Honorable Justice -. Sir :—. 

Your Honor :—, etc. 

Other Judges. 

The Hon.-, Judge of the Court of Quarter Sessions (or as the case may be). 

Or simply. The Honorable A-B-. Sir:—, Dear Sir:—, Your Honor :—, eic. 

Lawyers, Justices of the Peace, etc. 

James A. Brown, Esq. Sir :—. Dear Sir :—. 

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. 

A Physician or Surgeon. 

Dr. C. A. Scott. Or, C. A. Scott, Esq., M. D. Sir:-^. Dear Sir:—, 

A Dentist. 

Dr. John Allen. Or, John Allen, Esq., D. D. S. (or D. M. D.) Sir :—. 
Dear Sir :—. 




















234 


letter writing. 


LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEN. 

The President of a College. 

The Rev. J. H. Fairchild, D. D., LL. D., President of Oberlin College. Or, 
The Rev. Dr. Fairchild (with or without the designation). Sir :—. Dear Sir :—. 
Rev. and dear Sir :—. 

A Professor. 

Henry Lewis, D. D., LL. D., Professor of Greek in-College. Or, Prof. 

Henry Lewis, D. D,, LL. D. Or, Dr. Henry Lewis, Prof, of-, etc. Sir : —. 

Dear Sir :—. 

OFFICERS IN THE CIVIL SERVICE. 

I 

The President of the United States. 

To the President, Executive Mansion, Washington, D. C. Sir: —, or Mr, 
President :—. 

The Vice-President. 

To the Honorable Levi P. Morton, V.ce-President of the U. S. Or (unofficial), 
Hon. Levi P. Morton. Sir :—. 

Cabinet Ministers. 

To the Honorable Redfield Proctor, Secretary of War. Or, To the Honorable 
the Secretary of War. O', Hon. Redfield Proctor. Sir :—. 

All others not specified who are entitled to “ Honorable,” are addressed in a 
similar manner. 

Foreign Ministers. 

To his Excellency Robert T. Lincoln, Envoy Ex., etc., at the Court of St. 
James. Your Excellency :—. Sir :—. 

Assistant Secretaries, Heads of Bureaus, etc. 

To-, Esq., Assistant Secretary of State. Sir: —. (Sometimes, by courtesy, 

addressed as Hon.) 

The Governor of a State. 

To His Excellency J. B. Foraker, Governor of the State of Ohio. Or, His 
Excellency Governor J. B. Foraker. Or, To His Excellency the Governor. Sir: —* 
Your Excellency :—. 

Heads of State Departments, Members of the State Senate, etc. 

Hon. - , Attorney-General of N. Y. Sir :—. 

OFFICERS IN THE MILITARY OR NAVAL SERVICE. 

ARMY OFFICERS. 

The General of the Army. 

To General W. T. Sherman, Commanding the Armies of the United States. 
Or, General W. T. Sherman, Commanding U. S. A. Or, To the General of the 




FORMS OF ADDRESS AND SALUTATION. 


235 


Army. (It is a rule of the War Department at Washington, to address all officers 
by their office, not by name.) General: —, or Sir: —. 

The general practice in the army is to use the military title {General, Col., Captain, etc.) in 
the salutation, in addressing all officers above the grade of Lieutenant. A Lieut, has the saluta¬ 
tion of Sir. In the superscription, his rank is generally mentioned. In army correspondence 
the address is generally, not always, written at the top of the letter. 

A Colonel. 

Col.-, commanding 1st Cavalry. Or, CoL-, U. S. A. Colonel: —. 

The Quarter Master General. 

The same as a business man; and other officers of the Army are addressed in 
a similar manner, 

NAVY OFFICERS. 

The Admiral of the Navy. 

To Admiral D. G. Farragut, Commanding the Fleets of theU. S. Or, Admiral 
D. G. Farragut, Commanding U. S. N. Or, To the Admiral of the Navy. Sir: —, 

In the Navy, Sir is invariably used as the salutation; and the address, consisting of the 
name, title, and command, is written at the bottom. The following is an extract from the Navy 
Regulations;— 

" Line officers in the Navy, down to and including Commander, will be addressed by their 
proper title; below the rank of Commander, either by the title of their grade, or Mr. Officers of 
the Marine Corps above the rank of ist Lieut, will be addressed by their military title, brevet or 
lineal; of and below that rank, by their title of Mr. Officers not of the line will be addressed by 
their titles, or as Mr. or Dr., as the case may be.* 

A Commodore. 

Commodore A-B-, commanding South Atlantic Squadron (or as the case 

may be). Or, Commodore A-B-, U. S. N. Sir :—. 

Other officers of the Navy are addressed in a similar manner. 

LEGISLATIVE AND OTHER ORGANIZED BODIES. 

Communications to an organized body are usually addressed to the Presidv;nt 
of that body as its chief representative. The communications may, however, be 
addressed to the body itself. In such cases it goes to the President, and is by him 
formally presented. 

Communications, especially petitions, are often addressed ‘"To the president 

and members of-etc. 

The Senate of the U. S. 

To the Honorable the Senate of the U. S. in Congress Assembled. Honorable 
Sirs : —. Or, May it please your Honorable Body (or the Honorable Senate) : —. 

The President of the Senate. 

To the Honorable the President of the Senate of the U. S. Or, To the Hon¬ 
orable Levi P. Morton, President of the Senate of the U. S. Sir: —. Or, Honar- 
able Sir :—. 

The House of Representatives. 

Address and salutation similar to those of the Senateo 





236 


LETTER WRITING. 


The Speaker of the House. 

To the Honorable the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Sir :—, 
or Mr. Speaker :—. 

State Legislatures. 

They are addressed in the same form as the House of Congress, except, 
of course, the name, and the formula “in Congress assembled.” 

The title “Honorable" is generally applied to Legislative bodies if addressed collectively, 
even though the individual members are not entitled to it. For example, in most states in address¬ 
ing the House of Representatives of the State, we would use the title “ Honorable,” but in 
addressing an individual member, as sta>ed elsewhere, we would use the title Esq., with the salu¬ 
tation Sir. The same applies to city governments. In some states, the Speaker of the House is 
addressed as “ Honorable." 

A Court. 

To the Honorable Judges of the-Court. Your Honors: —. Or, May it 

please your Honors :—. 

A Board of Education. 

To the President and Members of the Board of Education (or whatever the 
corporate name may be). Sirs : —. Or (if in the city), May it please your Honorable 
Body :—. 

As stated above, communications (except petitions) are generally addrest-ed to 
the President of such bodies, as follows:— 

The President of a Board of Education, Directors, or Commissioners. 

To-, Esq., President of the Board of School Commissioners of Bnltimore 

City. Sir :—. 

To a Company. 

To-, Esq., President of the L. S. & M. S. R. R. Co. Or, To Esq., 

President of the-Insurance Co., New York. Sir :—. 


A PETITION. 

To a Legislature. 

To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the Common¬ 
wealth of Pennsylvania. The undersigned respectfully represent, etc. Or, The petition 
of A. B. (or the undersigned) humbly showeth, etc. 

Close, when there are several signers:— And your petitioners, as in duty bound, 
will ever pray, etc. 

(Signatures.) (Signatures.) 

In a petition to Congress, or to either House, add the words “in Congress 
assembled. ’' A petition to a Court or other body is in the same general form. 





ROMAN CATHOLIC TITLES AND FORMS. 


237 


ROMAN CATHOLIC TITLES AND FORMS. 

With Directions for Addressing the Pope and other Dignitaries of the Church, and a 
List of the Abbreviations allowed and used by Roman Catholics.* 

Explanation. — A - denotes Christian name; B - , family name; {a), the address of the 

letter; (^), the salutation ; {c), the complimentary close. 

The Pope. 

{a) I. To our Most Holy Father, Pope Pius the Ninth (or Pope Pius IX.). 

2 . To His Holiness Pope Pius the Ninth (or Pope Pius IX.). 

(3) I. Most Holy Father. 2. Your Holiness. 

(c) Prostrate at the feet of your Holiness, 

And begging the Apostolic Benediction, 

I protest myself now and at all times to be, 

Of your Holiness, the most obedient son, 

A-B-. 

Noth —The first forms of address and salutation would be used by Catholics. The second forms 
might also be used by them, but would not sound so affectionate and loyal as the others. They would 
be used chiefly by those who, having to communicate with the Pope, but not acknowledging him as 
the head of their Church, would still wish to treat him with respect. The concluding form Is of 
course for Catholics only. Non-Catholics would have to trust to their good taste or common sense to 
conclude suitably. If several join in the concluding form, it must be put in the plural. If the writer 
be a female, she writes “child,” instead of “daughter;” if a boy or youth, he writes “child,” instead 
of “son ;” if the writers are of both sexes, they write “children.” 

A Cardinal. 

(a) I. To His Eminence Cardinal B-. (If he be also a bishop, an archbishop, 

or a patriarch, add) Bishop (or as the case may be) of-. 

2. To His Eminence the Most Reverend Cardinal B-. 

(3) I. Most Eminent Sir. 2. Most Eminent and Most Reverend Sir. 

(f) I. Of Your Eminence, 

The most obedient and most humble servant, 

A-B-. 

2. I have the honor to remain. 

Most Eminent Sir, 

With profound respect. 

Your obed’t and humble serv’t, 

A-B-. 

Notes.— i. If the writer be a Catholic and belong to the cardinal’s diocesti isupposing him to 
have one), he adds, if he be an ecclesiastic, after the words “humble servant,” the words “and sub¬ 
ject;” but if he be a layman, he adds the words, “and son.” 

2. The Chrigtian name is not generally used in addressing prelates, if the family name be a dis¬ 
tinguished one, and if there be no danger of its being mistaken for the name of another person. To 
such common names as Smith and Jones, however, the Christian name should generally be added, to 
avoid confusion. If the official title follow the name, the Christian name must always be used; as, 
“His Eminence A-B-, Archbishop of New York.” 


*The interesting and valuable information under this heading has been adapted from the article 
prepared by Monsignor Seton, D. D., and published in Westlake’s ‘How to Write Letters.’ We ar* 
indebted to Right Reverend Bishop Horstmann, of Cleveland, for suggestions in the revision. 









238 


LETTER WRITING. 


3. The title D. D. or S. T. I). (Doctor of Divinity) may be written after the name of a cardinal 
archbishop, or bishop ; but the best authorities condemn its use in these cases, for the reason that such 
persons are doctors ex-officio, and the title is therefore redundant. It is never used when the official 

title precedes the name. Thus, we may write “Right Reverend A-B-, D. D.,’’ but not “Right 

Reverend Bishop B-, D. D.” 

An Archbishop* 

{fi) I. Most Reverend Archbishop -. Or, 

2. Most Reverend A-B-, Archbishop of — 

{b) I. Most Reverend and Respected Sir. Or, 

2. Most Reverend and Dear Sir. 

(r) I. I have the honor to be, 

r Most Reverend Sir, or 
J Most Reverend Archbishop, or 
Most Reverend and Dear Sir, 

Your obedient servant, 

A-B-. 

Noth.— The second form of salutation (p 2) is to be used only by a clergyman or a friend. 

A Bishop. 

{a) I. Right Reverend Bishop B-. Or, 

2. Right Reverend A-B-, Bishop of-. 

{b) I. Right Reverend Sir. 2. Right Reverend and Dear Sir. 

3. Right Reverend and Dear Bishop. 

{c) I have the honor to remain, 

Right Reverend Sir (or any of the formulas <5, i, 2, 3), 

Your obedient servant, 

A-B—-. 

(Roman) Prelates. 

I. Apostolic Frothonotaries, 

II. Domestic Prelates (viz., of the Pope). 

(Both are styled, like bishops and abbots. Right Reverend, and are generally called Monsignorec. 
a title, however, which is given, in Italy, to all prelates above them, except to cardinals and abbots ; 
and to some dignitaries below them. Amfing English-speaking Catholics it is not used of archbishops 
and bishops.) 

(a) I. Right Reverend Monsignor* B-. (I., II.) Or, 

2. Right Reverend A-B-. (I., II.) Or, 

3. Right Reverend Monsignor B-, Prothonotary Apostolic (I. only.) 

4. Right Rev. Monsignor A- B-r, Prothonotary Apostolic, etc. (I. 

only.) {^Eic. is added when, as is usually the case, he has other dignities.) 

5. Right Reverend A-B-, 

Domestic Prelate of His Holiness (or of the Pope). (II. only.) 

It will be noticed that the ist and 2d of the above forms apply equally to I and II.; the 3d and 
4th to I. only; the 5th to II. only. 


*Monsignor has become more or less anglicized; consequently. Monseigneur, which is French, 
should not be used except when writing in that language. Monsignor and Monsignore (Italian) arc 
used indifferently, but In English the former is preferable. 















ROMAN CATHOLIC TITLKS AND FORMS. 


239 


( 3 ) I. Right Reverend Sir. ‘ 

2. Right Reverend Monsignore. Or, 

3. My dear Monsignor (if well acquainted). Or, simply 

4. Monsignor. 

The above forms { 5 ) apply both to I. and II. The 4th is stiff, such as might be used by a total 
stranger or not very friendly correspondent. To begin, “Monsignor B-would be rude, and fore¬ 

bode that the writer meant to say something disagreeable. 

(£■) I. Right Reverend Sir. 

2. Right Reverend and Dear Sir. Or, 

3. My Dear Monsignor, 

Your friend and servant, 

A-B-. 

Inferior Dignitaries .—All dignitaries inferior to patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, 
abbots, and prelates are addressed “Very Reverend.” Dignitaries are Roman 
Monsignores other than the two sorts of Prelates mentioned above, Administrators of 
vacant dioceses. Vicars General, Provosts, Archpriests, Canons, Deans, Heads, and 
Provincials of Religious Orders, and Priors of Priories (which are separate establish¬ 
ments). These, and by courtesy some others, such as Priors of Monasteries over 
which abbots preside, Rectors and local Superiors of Religious Houses, Presidents or 
heads of seminaries, colleges, and larger religious institutions, are properly addressed 
as “Very Reverend.” 

Doctors of Divinity or of Laws (i). Vicars Forane (2), Rural Deans (3), Vice Presidents of colleges, 
or other assistant superiors of religious institutions (4), Members of the Episcopal Council (5), 
Examiners of the Clergy (6), Chancellors of a diocese (7), the Secretary of a bishop or of a diocese (8), 
and others, along with Priests, have no claim to be styled “Very Reverend,” although a some¬ 
what abusive custom seems to allow it to classes 2, 3, and 4. These and all others in Priests' or 
Deacons’ orders should be styled simply “Reverend.” 

A Vicar General* 

{a) I. Very Reverend A-B-(with initials of office). Or, 

2. Very Reverend Vicar General B-. Or, 

3. Very Reverend A- B -, 

Vicar General of-(name of diocese). 

(d) I. Very Reverend and Dear Sir. 

2. Very Reverend Sir. Or, 

3. My dear Vicar General (only if the writer belong to the diocese). Or 

simply, 4. Dear Sir. 

The Rector of a Religious House, Provincial of an Order* or a Prior* 

(a) I. Very Reverend Father A-B-(initials of order) Rector (or Prior) 

of-(name of House). Or, Provincial of-(name of Order, 

or, better, of the members of the Order taken collectively). 

Doctors of Divinity (D* D*) or of Laws (LL* D.) 

(a) I. Reverend A-B-, D. D. (or LL. D.). Or, 

2. Reverend Dr. A-B-. 

If such an one be the pastor of a church, or a professor in a seminary or other institution, add 
"Pastor of-or “Professor of-.” 














240 


LETTER WRITING. 


Priest (simply), 

{a) I. Reverend A - B - . Or, 2. Reverend Father A - B - . Or, 3. 

Reverend Father B-. 

{b) I. Reverend Sir. Or, 2. Reverend and Dear Sir, Or, 

3. Reverend Doctor. 

Noth —“Your Reverence” Is courteous and correct, but is local In Its use; being confined mainly 
to Irish Catholics. 

Female Superiors of Religious Orders, 

(It is quite customary, but abusively so, to call every female superior of a religious 
order, or house, “Reverend Mother.” The proper style is as follows :—) 

(a) I. Mother-(name in religion, e. g., Elizabeth). Or, 

2. Mother -(name in religion, unless she preserves, as in some orders, 

her family name), 

Superior of-(<?. g.. Sisters of Charity.) 

Noth. —Members of one religious order in the United States, the “Ladies of the Sacred Heart,” 
are always addressed and spoken of as “Madame.” In England, an abbess is styled “The Right 

Reverend Lady Abbess of-” (name of abbey), or “The Right Reverend Lady Abbess-” 

(Christian and family names, or family name only). It is customary, even in the United States, to 
style religious women who are at the head of some religious order (as, for instance, the Sisters ot 
Charity),—not merely superiors of houses of that order,—or who are the superiors of houses belonging 
to ancient orders (as, for instance, the Benedictines, the Dominicans, etc.), “Reverend”; as, “The 
Reverend Abbess” or “Prioress,” or “The Reverend Mother Abbess” or “Prioress,” or “The 
Reverend Mother Superior.” 


LETTERS AND PETITIONS TO THE POPE AND OTHERS. 

Letters* —In letters to the Pope, the salutation must stand alone upon one line at 
the top of the page ; the body of the letter occupies the middle portion of the page, 
and the place of writing and date are put at the bottom, near the left edge. A certain 
vacant space should be left between the salutation and the beginning of the letter, an 
equal space between the complimentary close and the signature, and a less space 
between the end of the letter and the complimentary close. By reason of these 
requirements, note paper or any small form of letter paper should never be used for 
this purpose. The same requirements must be observed in writing to Cardinals and 
other high ecclesiastics in all parts of Italy,—at least when writing in anything like a 
formal or official manner, except that the spaces diminish with the rank of the 
dignitaries. 

Petitions.—The form of a petition is somewhat different; and the language should 
be Latin or Italian. French, however, is tolerated, if the Pope understand it, which 
may not always be the case. 

A sheet of official letter paper is folded lengthwise into two equal parts, by turning 
the left or folded edge over to the right (thus bringing half of the fourth page upper¬ 
most). Near the top of this fold is written the address of the Pope (“To His Holiness, 
Pope Pius IX.,” e. half-way down, the word “for” (in the proper language); 
and near the bottom, the name and residence of the petitioner. Then the sheet is 
unfolded, bringing it to its original position. On the left-hand column of the'first 








ABBREVIATIONS USED BY ROMAN CATHOLICS. 


241 


page, near the top, the petitioner writes the salutation (“Most Holy Father,” e. g.), 
then,—leaving the customary space,—his petition; and, at the bottom, without his 
signature, a formula corresponding to our closing form, “And your petitioner, as in 
duty bound, will ever pray,” etc. On the right-hand fold or column the Pope’s 
answer is written, either in his own handwriting or that of a person who has been 
charged, with that duty. 

The object of folding the page, and of writing the petition on one fold of it, is that the answer to 
• t may be written on the other column or fold, and thus the two parts of the document be put, for con¬ 
venience, in juxtaposition. 

One Side Only,—A petition, and, in fact, a letter, address, or any other com¬ 
munication to the Pope, should generally occupy only one side (the face) of the leaf; 
but if the matter cannot be contained on one page only, it should be continued on the 
third page of the sheet, and not on the second page. 

Place of Address.—In a letter to a Cardinal, the place and date should be written 
in the upper right corner (the usual position), and the Cardinal’s address in the lower 
left corner. Indeed it is better in all cases to put a clergyman’s address (as is cus¬ 
tomary in Rome) at the bottom rather than at the top, to distinguish the letter in 
form from ordinary business and other secular letters. 


ABBREVIATIONS USED BY ROMAN CATHOLIGS. 


Remark. —In writing to the Pope, a Cardinal, or any high dignitary, abbrevia¬ 
tions,relating to the dignitary may be used in the outside address, but not in the 
inside address or the body of the letter. Abbreviations that do not relate to the 
dignitary himself may, however, be tolerated in the letter. 

Explanation.— The words and letters in italics are always printed so. 

Rural Dean. . R, D. or Rur. Dn. 

Chancellor.Chanc. 

Canon.Can. 

Provost. Prov. 

Brother.Bf. Bro. 

Sister... Sr. Sist. 

Rector. Rect. 

Father, Friar.Fr. 

Most Reverend. .Most Rev. or Mt. Rev. 

Right Reverend. Rt. Rev. 

Very Rev. V. R. or Very Rev. 

Doctor of Divinity.D. D.t 

Vicar Apostolic. V. A. or Vic. Ap. 

Diocese.Dioc. 

Pastor. Past. 

Saint. St. 


Holy Father. 

.H.F. 

His Holiness. 

.H.H. 

Cardinal.. 


His Eminence. 

. • H. E. or His Em. 

Archbishop. 

.Abp. 

Bishop. 

.Bp. 

Abbott, Abbess. 

.Abb. 

Prior, Prioress. 

. Pr. 

Monsignor. 


Prothonotary Apostolic. Prot. Ap. 

Domestic Prelate..., 


Private Chamberlain 


Provincial. 


Superior. 


Vicar General. 

V. G. or Vic. Gen. 

Vicar Forane. 

• V. F. or Vic. For. 


*Mgr. is frequently, but ignorantly, used for the abbreviation of Monsignor. It is the abbrevia¬ 

tion of the French Monseigneur. 

tThe clergy are divided into Secular clergy and Regular clergy. D. D. is generally placed only 
after the name of a member of the secular clergy; i. e., of one not belonging to a religious order. 
After the name of a member of a religious community, congregation, or orde^ it is usual to put the 
Initials only of that community, congregation, or order. In all cases, the D. D. precedes any other 
initials; as, "Very Rev. A-B-, D. D.. V. G.” 



































242 


LETTER WRITING. 


Coadjutor, Coadjutor Bishop, 

Coad.* Goad. Bp. 
Inpartibusinfidelium, inpart.,\ or i.p. i. 

Parish Priest.P. P. 

Monastery .Mon. or Monast. 

Convent.Con. or Conv. 

Community.Com. 

Congregati .Cong. 

Novitiate. Nov. 

Primate .Prim. 


Metropolitan.Metr. or Metrop. 

Diocesan Seminary .Dioc. Sem. 

Provincial Seminary. Prov. Sem. 

Catholic Institute.Cath. Inst. 

Young Men’s Catholic Association. 

Y.M.Cath. A. 
Parochial Library.Paroch. Lib. 

Female Academy... -Fcm. Ac. or Acad. 
Coadjutor with right of succession, 

Coad. cum. jure sue. 


Blessed Virgin Mary.B. V. M.^ 

* Written with a small c if after the name; as, “Rt. Rev. A-B-, coadjutor.” 

t Never in capitals, and always after the name; as, “Rt. Rev. A-B-, Bp. of- in^art.” 

t A kind of religious order. 

§ Frequently found in Catholic Directories, after the name of a church; as, for instance, “Church 
of the Visitation, B. V. M.” _ _ 


ABBREVIATIONS OF THE PRINCIPAL RELIGIOUS ORDERS IN THE 

UNITED STATES. 

Written after the Names of the Members. 


English^ 

Abbreviations. 

Benedictines. 

O. S. B. 

Dominicans. 

O. P. or O. S. D. 

Franciscans. 

O. S. F. 

Augustin ians. 

O. S. A. 

Capuchins. 

Cap. or 

O. Min. Cap. 

Cistercians. 

O. Cist. 

Jesuits. 

S.J. 

Redemptorists • • • 

Redempt.. or 

C. SS. R. 

Passionists. 

Pass, or C. P. 

Minor Conventuals. 

O. M. Conv. 

Carmelites, Calced. 

o. c. c. 

“ Discalced 

O. C. D. or Dis. 

Vincentians, or Laz- 


arists . 

C. M. 

Sulpitians. 

Oblates of Mary Im¬ 

S.S. 

maculate . 

O. M. I. 


Ladies of the Sacred Heart 
Nuns of the Visitation .... 

Sisters of Charity. 

Sisters of Notre Dame. 


Latin. 


Ordinis Sancti Benedicti. 

Ordinis Prgedicatorum; or, Ordinis Sancti 
Dominici. 

Ordinis Sancti Francisci. 

Ordinis Sancti Augustini. 

Capucinus; or, Ordinis Minorum Capuci- 
norum. 

Ordinis Cisterciensis. 

Societatis Jesu. 

Redemptorista; or, Congregationis Sane- 
tissimi Redemptoris. 

Passionista; or, Congregationis Passionis. 
Ordinis Minorum Conventualium. 

Ordinis Carmelitarum Calceatorum. 

Ordinis Carmelitarum Discalceatorum. 


Congregationis Miss ion um. 
(Societatis) Sancti Sulpitii. 


Ladies of the S. H, 
Nuns of the V. 
Sisters of Char. 
Sisters of N. D. 







































CLASSIFIED LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS, 


243 


CLASSIFIED LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS. 

(Exclusive of those Denoting Titles.) 

CHRONOLOGICAL. 


TIME OF DAY. 

Hour, h.; minute, min.; second, sec. 
Forenoon {ante meridiem) .... A. M. 
Ah^rnoon {post meridiem) . . . . P. M. 


Noon (meridiem) .M. 

MONTHS. 

Month, months.. mo., mos. 

Last month (ultimo).ult. 


This month (instant) ...... inst. 

Next month (proximo).prox. 

YEARS AND ERAS. 

Year, years.yr., yrs. 

By the year (per annum) . . . per an. 

Before Christ.B. C. 

In the Christian Era (anno Domini) A. D. 
Week..wk. 


RELATING TO BUSINESS. 


Account ...... 


Agent. 


Amount. 


At or to (mercantile) . 


Average. 


Balance.. . 

.bal. 

Bank. 

.bk. 

Barrel, barrels . . . 

. bl., bbl, or bis. 

Bill Book. 


Bills Payable . . . . 

. . . . B. Pay. 

Bills Receivable . . . 

. . . . B. Rec. 

Bought . 


Brother, Brothers . . 

. . . Bro., Bros, 

Brought. 


Bushel. 


By the.. 


Cashier. 


Cash Book ..... 


Cleared. 

...... cld. 

Charged. 


Company ....... 

.Co. 

Care of. 


Collector.. 

.Coll. 

Commission. 


Commerce. 


Credit, creditor . . . 

.Cr. 

Cent, cents. 


Clerk . 



Cash on delivery . . . . 


Debtor. 


Ditto (the same) . . .' . 


Discount. 

. dis. or disc. 

Dividend. 


Dollar, dollars. 


Dozen. 


Draft. 


Each.. 


Errors excepted .... 

. . . . E. E. 

Errors and omissions excepted .... 


E.& O. E 


Et cetera (and the rest) . . . etc., &c. 


Foot or feet. ft. 

Forward.. ford. 

Freight.frt. 

Folio Cash Book .. F. C. B. 

Gross.gro. 

Gallon. gal. 

Half.hlf 

Handkerchiefs.hdkfs. 

Head. hd. 

Hogshead.hhd. 

Hundred.hund. 

Hundred weight.cwt 

Interest. int. 

Invoice Book ..I. B. 

Inches. is 
































































244 


LETTER WRITING. 


Insurance . 


Invoice. 


Inventory. 


Journal. . 


Journal Folio. 

. . .J.F. 

Ledger . 


Ledger Folio. 

. . L. F. 

Measure. 


Merchandise. 


Memorandum. 


Number, numbers. 

no., nos. 

Outward Invoice Book . . . 

. O. 1. B. 

Ounce . 


Package . 


Pages . 


Pair . 


Peck, pecks . 


Petty Cash Book . 

. P. C. B. 

Paid . 


Payment .. 

. . payt. 

Pint, pints . 

. pt., pts. 

Premium . 


Per annum (by the year) . . 

. per an. 


Per cent (by the hundred) 

. . per cent. 

Pennyweight. 


Pound, pounds. 

. . lb., lbs. 

Quart, quarts. 

. . qt., qts. 

Quarter, quarters . . . . 

. . qr., qrs. 

Returned. 


Received. 


Receipt. 


Schooner . . 


Sales Book. 


Sailed. 

.... sld. 

Shipment. 


Square. 

. . . . sq. 

Storage. 


Steamer. 


Sundries. 


Thousand. 

, . . . . M. 

Tonnage . 


Volume. 


Weight. 


Without deduction . . . 


Yard, yards. 



RELATING TO LAW AND GOVERNMENT. 

Abbreviations of official titles not here given may be found in the Classified List of Titles. 


Administrator.Admr. 

Administratrix.Admx. 

Attorney.Atty. 

Against {versus) ....... v. or vs. 

Assistant.Asst. 

And others {ef alii) .et al. 

Clerk.Clk. 

Committee.com. 

Common Pleas.C. P. 


Congress.Cong. 

Defendant.Deft. 

Justice of the Peace.J* 

Member of Congress.M. C. 

Plaintiff.Pltf. 

Post-office.P. O. 

Post-master.P, M. 

Right Honorable.Rt. Hon. 

Superintendent.Supt. 


ECCLESIASTICAL. 


Congregational.Cong. 

Deacon.Dea. 

God willing {Deo volente) . . . . D. V. 
Jesus the Savior of Men . . . I. H. S. 


Methodist Episcopal.M. E, 

Protestant Episcopal.P. E. 

Presbyterian.. Presb. 

Roman Catholic.Rom. Catbi 




































































MISCELLANEOUS EXERCISES^ 


245 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


Ad libitum (at pleasure) .... ad lib. 

Alley.Al. 

American.Am. or Amer. 

Anno Domini (in the year of our Lord) 

.A. D. 

Anonymous.anon. 

Answer.Ans. 

Arithmetic.Arith. 

Avenue.Av. or Ave. 

Borough.Bor. orbor. 

Christmas.Xmas. 

Corresponding Secretary . . Cor. Sec. 

Corner.Cor. 

County.Co. or co. 

Court House.C. H. 

District.Dist. 

East, E.; West,W.; North, N.; South, S. 
Executive Committee . . . Ex. Com. 
Id est (that is).i. e. 


Incognito (unknown) 


Island. 


Lake. 


Manuscript. 

. MS. (/4 MSS.) 

Mountain or Mount . 

. Mt. (//. Mts.) 

Postscript. 

.P. s. 

Pro tempore (for the time) . . pro tern. 

Railroad. 


Recording Secretary . 

. . . Rec. Sec. 

River. 


Secretary . 


Senior. 


Street or Saint . . . 

. . St. (//. Sts.) 

Take Notice .... 


Township. 



Videlicet (namely).viz. 

Village.Vil. or vil. 

Young Men’s Christian Association . , 

.Y. M, C. A. 


MISCELLANEOUS EXERCISES. 

(Selections may be made by number from this list, at the option of the teacher.) 

The short exercises, including the parts of letters, may be written 
on foolscap paper, using only as many blue lines as are necessary for 
each, and ruling lines between the forms to separate them. 

For each letter written, address an envelope, fold the paper, and 
place it in the envelope. 

HEADINGS AND INTRODUCTIONS. 

Arrange, punctuate and capitalize correctly. 

1. Write a heading for a letter to be sent from this place to-day. 

2. Use these words in a heading: Iowa, 1889, June 20, 753 Elm St., 
Davenport. 

3. Write a heading and introduction for a letter to be sent to Charles Warnei 
& Co., Erie, Pa., from Chicago, Ill., present date. 

4. Write a heading for a letter sent from some hotel in New York City. 

5. Write a heading for a letter sent from some educational institution, to-day. 

6. Write an introduction to a letter to the President of the U. S. 

Write an introduction to a letter to the Governor of your state. 



































246 


LETTER WRITING. 


8. Write a heading and salutation to a business letter to Miss Cynthia 
Brown, Springfield, Illinois. 

9. Write an introduction to a letter to the firm of John Brownlee & Co., 
publishers of the Christian Gazette, 667 Ash street, Boston, Mass. 

10. Write an appropriate salutation to (i) a business firm, (2) a child, (3) an 
intimate friend, (4) an aged gentleman, (5) a married lady friend, (6) your teacher. 

Write correctly the following headings and introductions: 

IIo jan 24th detroit my Dear alfred your letter etc. 

12 . mr martin My dear sir if it is convenient etc. 

13. Chicago ill 2d of June 1888 hon J t Brown gov of ohio dear sir can you etc. 

14. prof iSaac Dodge goshen Indiana my Very dear Sir will you Please etc. 

15. ky Covington my dear brown February 4th 1880 it is with etc. 

THE CONCLUSION. 

Write the following, arranging, punctuating and capitalizing correctly; 

16. Yours Truly howard Kirtland. 

17. Very Respectfully Yours John Hammond. 

18. Your sincere Friend Marion. 

19. Your Loving Son Harry. 

2O0 We remain As ever very Truly yours Brown Smith & co. 

21. Write the conclusion of a business letter from yourself to A. T. Stewart 
& Co., New York. 

22. Write the conclusion of a letter to your most intimate friend. 

23. Write the conclusion of a letter to the Post Master General of the United 
States. 

ENVELOPES. 

(For thes6 exercises paper may be used instead of envelopes, marking around an envelope 
orith a lead pencil, to give the size and shape of same. Arrange the address properly in this space.) 

24. Address an envelope to Jones, Hart & Simpson, 801 Broadway, New York 
City. 

25. Address an envelope to E. E. Northway, 128 Hawthorne Ave., City. 

26. Address an envelope to Prof. J. Tuckerman, South New Lyme, Ashtabula 
Co., Ohio. 

27. Address an envelope to Messrs. Smith, Brown & Co., Chicago, Ill., for a 
letter introducing Mr. Charles Brown. 

28. Address an envelope to Prof. J. H. Bryant, Lock Box 73, Jacksonville, Ill. 

29. Address an envelope to Miss Mary Miller, Minneapolis, Minn., care Mr. 
Martin Mercer. 

30. Address an envelope to Mr. F. A. Timby, Care Reed & Riley, 14 Fifth 
Ave., Denver, Col. 

INTRODUCTIONS. 

31. Write a letter introducing a friend of yours to an acquaintance in Buffalo, 
asking him to aid him if possible in securing employment in a dry goods house. 



MISCEIvIvANBOUS EXERCISES. 


247 


32. Your uncle is a Congressman in Washington; write him a letter asking 
him to show some attention to your friend, the bearer, during his visit at the 
capital. 

33. Write to your sister, introducing an intimate friend who is passing through 
the city, and calls upon her at your earnest solicitation. 


LETTERS OF CREDIT. 

34. Write a letter of credit to a firm in New York, asking that Thomas May- 
hew be trusted for three months to an amount not exceeding five hundred dollars, 
for millinery goods. 

35. Write a letter addressed to yourself, from the firm in New York, stating 
that Thomas Mayhew failed to pay for the goods in due time, and asking Immediate 
settlement for the amount. 


APPLICATIONS. 

36. Write a letter applying for a situation as book-keeper in a grocery, stating 
qualifications, experience and salary expected; also name some one as reference. 

37. Write a letter to the School Board, Jackson, Mich., applying for a posi¬ 
tion as teacher in the public schools, stating qualifications, experience, grade 
desired, and salary you will accept; also some special preparation you have made 
for the work. 

38. Write an advertisement for the New York World, stating your desire to 
secure a situation as amanuensis for some literary or professional gentleman. 

39. Write a letter soliciting advertising for the Daily Tribune, published in 
Boston. State circulation. 

40. Write to a friend in Lincoln, Neb., asking what the opportunities of suc¬ 
cess are there for a young man of your abilities. 


Answer the following advertisements; 


41 -___ 

B ook-keeper and correspond- 

ent—Wanted, a book-keeper, competent to 
keep the accounts and assist in conducting the 
correspondence of an establishment. Address, 
stating experience and giving references, 
"Business’ jeio-tf 

42 -_ 

W ANTED—Young man stenographer and 
type-writer, with machine. Address, 
stating terms, lock box 216, Fostoria, Ohio, 

_ 43 ^_ ' _ 

W ANTED—Shipping clerk by a large man¬ 
ufacturing concern. Must write a good 
hand and be thoroughly acquainted with the 
chipping to all parts of the United States; sin¬ 
gle man preferred ; none but those competent 
need apply Address with references at once, 
P. O. Box No 408. 475a-7 


44. 

- — - -- - j ■ . _ _ . 

W ANTED—A lady stenographer who has 
had some experience on the type-writer. 
Address, in own hand writing, stating salary 
wanted, NURSERYMAN, Herald office. 343 


45-_ 

W ANTED—A young lady for mercantile 
office; must be a good writer. One with 
previous business experience preferred. Ad¬ 
dress in own hand writing, naming references, 
COMMERCIAL, Sun office. 19 


46. _ - 

W ANTED—Book-keeper (double entry! 

and correspondent; must be rapid ana 
accurate, good penman, and able to take notes 
of instructions in short-hand * give age and ex¬ 
perience. Address box 179, Leader office. 931 



















248 


LETTER WRITING. 


RECOMMENDATIONS, 

47. Write a letter of recommendation for John Durand who has been in you: 
employ five years, stating his ability as a book-keeper. 

48. Write a letter of recommendation for a faithful teacher, 

49. Write to your pastor asking for a letter of recommendation to the church 
in this city. 

50. Write a letter to Dr. Joseph Barnes, with whom you studied, asking for a 
testimonial of your qualifications as a dentist. 

ORDERING MERCHANDISE, 

51. Write a letter ordering twelve kinds of groceries and state the method of 
shipment and payment. 

52. Write a letter ordering six different kinds of books, state the amount you 
can pay in cash and the time wanted on the balance. 

53. Write a letter ordering millinery goods to be sent C. O. D. 

54. Write a letter ordering six pieces of dress goods and six articles in the 
notion line, to be sent by express. State that you wish to discount your bill. 

INCLOSING INVOICE. 

55. Write a letter enclosing an invoice of groceries. 

56. Write a letter enclosing shipping receipt and invoice of loo Arithmetics, 
shipped by fast freight. 

57. Write a letter enclosing an invoice of drugs ; also write the invoice, ten 
articles. 

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS. 

58. Write a letter acknowledging the receipt of money for an account in full. 

59. Write a receipt for money paid you on account. 

60. Write a receipt for money paid you by one person for another, in full of 
the latter’s account. 

61. Write a receipt for-three months’ rent paid you for store, 536 Walnut 
street. 

62. Write a letter enclosing a money order in payment of the balance due on 
an old account. 

63. Write a letter to Frank Holmes enclosing an order drawn in his favor 
upon Hiram Johnson, 

64. Write a letter to R. A. Martin & Co., of your own city, enclosing a check 
in payment of bills for the month, to date. 

65. Write a letter to John Taylor & Co., New York, agents for the Star Line 
ocean steamers, engaging two passages to Liverpool, Eng., enclosing draft to pay 
for the same. 

66. You have just received a monthly statement of your account from your 
nulor. Write him a letter enclosing ten dollars to apply on account, and asking for 
time on the balance. 



MISCELLANEOUS EXERCISES. 


249 


LETTERS ASKING FOR SETTLEMENT. 

67. One of your customers has failed to meet his payments promptly; send 
him his account, and ask him to call and settle immediately or make satisfacto’-y 
explanation of the delay. 

68. Write to Dr. Joseph Hill, Pittsburg, asking for settlement of an invoice 
of drugs shipped a year ago, that were to have been paid for in thirty days. 

. 69. The Howard Publishing Co., Trenton, N. J., owe you two hundred and 

fifty dollars. Write them a brief note, stating that you will draw on them for the 
amount on the 1st proximo. 

70. Write to your lawyer who has been collecting your accounts and failed to 
report the same, asking him to call and settle without further delay. 

71. Write a courteous letter to Wm. Hays, who is behind with his payments, 
asking for immediate settlement. 

TELEGRAMS. 

72. Write a telegram not exceeding ten words, ordering a small invoice of 
dry goods sent by express. 

73. There has been a railroad accident. Send a telegram of ten words to 
your mother announcing your escape without injury, and that you will be home at 
10:30 P. M. 

74. Write a telegram of not to exceed ten words, to Spencer & Packard, Chi¬ 
cago, stating goods ordered ten days ago have not arrived and ask why. 

75. Telegraph to Hunt & Fisher, Boston, Mass., regarding a clerk you con¬ 
template employing. He was in their employ five years. Use not more than ten 
words. 

CONGRATULATIONS. 

76. Write a letter of congratulation to an intimate friend, who is to deliver 
the valedictory address of his class. 

77. Write a letter of congratulation to a friend elected to Congress, after a 
very exciting and close election. 

78. Write a congratulatory note to an author, who is a very near friend, upon 
the success of his latest work. 

79. Write a letter of congratulation to a friend just married. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

80. Write a letter to your parents telling of your safe arrival at school and 
give some incidents of the journey. 

81. Write your teacher a note explaining your absence from school during 
the past week. 

82. Write to the President of Cornell University asking for catalogue and 
circulars. 

83. Write to the publishers of the “North American Review,” asking them 
to send you a copy for one year, and state with what number you desire to begin. 

84. Write the names of (i) five railways, (2) three express companies, (3) and 
two telegraph companies. 





260 


LETTER WRITING. 


INDEX* 

Numbers refer to Paragraphs, unless the word ‘page’ precedes the number. 


Aboreviations, Catholic,.. 

classified list of .. 

general remarks. 

of titles.'. 

Acceptances and Regrets. . 
Accuracy, grammatical ... 

Address, forms of. 

in letters. 

models of. 

writer’s. 

Adjective clause. 

Advertising. 

Anniversaries, wedding ... 
Announcements, wedding . 

Answers, date of. 

hasty. 

promptness of. 

Apostrophe .. 

Application, wording of... 

now written. 

importance of care. 

letters of . 

Attendant elements. 


.page 241 
•page C43 

.455 

•page 228 
••527-534 

. 116 

•page 233 
16, 17, 37 

. 23 

.466 

.419 

. 516 


523 

522 

440 


449, 467 
444, 468 

.... 432 


.... 488 
.... 486 
.... 487 

485, 488 


409 


Betrothal cards. 548 

Body, beginning of. 25 

of letter.24-29 

Brackets, uses of.425 

Business letters, classified. 3 

defined . 3 

essentials of. 3 

length of. 473 


Campania, cut of. 82 

Canada, mail to .585 

Cancelling machine. 84 

Capitalization, of salutation. 22 

of superscription. 58 

Capitals.387-402, 592 

rules for.388-402 

Cards. 535-552 

Cards and notes.517-520 

classes of. 547-552 

inscription on. 544 

titles on. 545 

ases of....536-543 

Caret, uses of.. 435 

Carriers, expense for. 86 

number of. 87 

Catholic Titles and Forms...page 237 


Ceremonial cards. 547 

Charity, sisters of. 569 

Checks.496, 498- 500 

indorsement of. 500 

Cipher, in telegraphing. 512 

City, heading for. 13 

Clauses, punctuation for. ... 413-415, 
419, 420. 

Classification, of postal matter,574-577 
of titles and abbreviations, page 228 

Clearness of diction . . . 109 

C, O. D., goods sent... 494 

Code, telegraphic.512 

Colon, uses of. 427 

Comma, rules for.409-422 

Complete letter-writers. 439 

Compli m e ntary close, defi nition.. 31 

forms of. 32 

Compound predicate, punctuation 422 

sentence, punctuation for. 421 

Conclusion, to a letter__30-39 

models of.32, 39, 448 

punctuation of. 38 

Condolence, letters of.511 

Confectioneries. 583 

Congratulation, letters of. 510 

Contractions, general remarks... 455 

special. 457 

Copy for the press. 509 

Copying letters. 447 

Correct position in writing, .page 124 

Country places, heading for. 13 

Courtesy, letters of, defined. 6 

in writing . 456 

Credit, letters of.489, 490 

Dash, punctuation for. 423 

Dead letter office, employes of... 88 

letters, when sent. 54 

pieces received. 52 

Dictation to stenographers. 589 

Diction of letters .108-117 

Dinners.....524,529 

Divisions of railway. 81 

Division of words,. 593 

Doctor of medicine, title oL . .567, 568 

Dont’s.95-107 

Drafts.497-500 

endorsement of. 500 

Drop letters. 58^ 

























































































INDEX. 


251 


Dunuing letters. 
Duplicate letters 


Ellipsis... .415, 436 

l^/mpnasis. now shown. 460 

Enclosures, folding.499 

Endorsement of business paper.. 500 

English, good. m 

Envelopes . 10 

care in directing. 506 

inserting letter. 47 

self-addressed. 53 

special request. 54 

stamped, when spoiled. 72 

the right one.451 

Erasures. 591 

Errors in letters. 459 

Exclamation point, uses of. 430 

Express orders, cost of. 502 


Facts about Postal system. 74-94 

Familiar notes. 526 

Figures. 443 

Filing letters. 446 

Folding of letters.40-47 

Foreign words. 113 

Forms,address and salutation,page 233 

Catholic.page 237 

Forms of Letters.8, 597 

Forwarding mail. 578 

French phrases. 520 

Friendship and business, in letters 470 
Friendship, letters of, defined. 5 


General Delivery,use of the words 51 


Goods, letters ordering. 493 

sent C. O. D. 494 

Grammatical accuracy. 116 


Hasty answers. 467 

Heading. 13 

at end of letter. 475 

Honorable, title of.571, 572 

How to write for the press. 509 

Hyphen, rules for.433, 434 

Indorsement of letters. 464 

Ink. 12 

Instant, use of. 457 

Insulting letters, answers to. 444 

Intermediate expressions. 409 

Interrogation point, uses of.. 429 

Introduction to letters.i5“24 

models of.. 23 

use of titles in.16, 17 


Introduction, residence. 18 

Introduction, letters of.478-484 

delivery of. 484 

length of. 480 

praise in. 481 

sealing. 482 

superscription cor.*. ... 483 

whom to introduce. 479 

Introductory words. 409 

Inverted phrases or clauses. 414 

Invitations, wedding . 521 

Invoice, letters enclosing. 507 

Jefferson, letter by. 511 

Junior, use of. 452 

Language, of letters... no 

in general. 592 

Letters, and receipt for money.. 492 

body of.24-29 

care of. 446 

care in writing.449, 467 

classified. 2-7 

complimentary close.32 

conclusion of .30-39 

copying. 447 

courtesy in. 456 

defined. i 

diction and construction of..108-117 

dunning. 471 

duplicated. 594 

enclosing invoice. 507 

enclosing remittance.495-506 

errors in. 459 

filing . 446 

folding of .40-47 

form of.8, 597 

friendship and business, mixed 470 

heading at end of. 475 

heading of. 13 

indorsement of. 464 

inserting in envelopes. 47 

introduction to.15-23 

language of. no 

legibility in superscription .... 52 


materials for.9-12 

of application.485-488 

of condolence.511 

of congratulation. 510 

of credit..... 489, 490 

of introduction.47^484 

of recommendation. 491 

on steamships. 82 

ordering goods.493 

paging.453 



































































































252 


LETTER WRITING. 


Letters, public.508, 509 

recall of. 64 

sealing of. ... 465 

skeleton form of. 8 

style of. 117 

superscription.48-58 

to the Pope.page 240 

when returned to writer.54. 55 

when sent to dead letter office. 54 

i^etter paper, folding of.4i-43 

Letter, typewritten form,pages 225, 227 

Letter writers . 439 

Lincoln, letter by . 511 

Long sentences. 461 


Mail, cost of carrying. 77 

catcher, described. 80 

forwarding. 578 

safety of. 89 

stand, illustrated.page 153 

unmailable . 579 

Manifolding . 594 

Margin. 26 

Master, use of. 566 

Materials.9-12 

Medicine, doctors of.567, 568 

Memorial cards. 550 

Mesdames, use of. 556 

Messrs., use of. 555 

Mexico, mail to. 585 

Military titles. 573 

Miscellaneous hints.438-477 

Miss, use of.557, 559, 560 

Mister, use of.555, 559 561 

Mistress, use of.556, 559, 560 

Misused words.118-386 

Models, for conclusion.32, 39 

headings. 13 

introductions. 23 

superscriptions. 49 

Money Order, becomes invalid. . 67 

general information. 501 

indorsement. 67 

international. 68 

paying a. 66 

Money by telegraph.504, 515 


Name and title. 16 

Naval titles. 573 

Neatness. 28 

New York, letters delivered. 85 

post office. 83 

Night messages, in telegraphing. 514 

Nota Bene. 463 

Note paper, folding of. 44-47 

Notes and cards..517-520 


Notes, familiar.526 

Number, use of the word. 51 

Official, cards. 551 

titles . 570 

Order of pages. 474 

Packages, when returned. 56 

Pages, order of. 474 

Paging. 453 

Paper, size and color. 9 

Paragraphs.27, 477 

Parenthesis, use of. 424 

Parenthetical words and phrases. 409 

Parties.525, 526 

Penmanship. 29 

Pens.'. II 

Period, uses of. 428 

Petition, form of.page 236 

to the Pope.page 240 

Phrases, punct’t’n of 409, 410, 412, 414 
Pope, letters and petitions to..page 240 

Position, of parts of heading. 13 

in writing, illustrated .... page 124 

of introduction.16-18, 20 

Postage on letters. 61 

Postal information.62-94, 574-587 

Postal Cards, duns on. 65 

cost of. 92 

general remarks.454 

how ordered. 93 

unmailable.582 

where made. 92 

Post offices, new. 76 

Postmasters, number of. 75 

Postscript. 462 

Presentation cards. 549 

Present, obsolete use of. 469 

Press, how to write for.. 509 

Professional cards. 551 

Professor, use of title. 564 

abuse of title. 565 

Promptness in answering. 468 

Proximo, use of. 457 

Public letters.508, 509 

defined. 4 

Punctuation. 403-437 

importance of .405,592 

marks of . 406 

of conclusion. 38 

ofheading. 14 

of salutation. 21 

Quotations, punctuation of.. .417, 431 

Railway divisions. 81 




































































































INDEX. 


253 


Railway mail service.78-82 

Rates of telegraphing. 513 

Recapitulation, in letters. 445 

Receipts. 492 

Recommendation, letters of.491 

Reference, marks of. 437 

Registered letters, general remarks 503 

Registered mail.94, 586 

Regrets and acceptances.527-534 

Remittances . 442 

letters accompanying.495-506 

Residence. 18 

in heading. 13 

in introduction. 18 

in superscription. 50 

Restrictive clauses, explained 419, 420 

Return card. 54 

Reverend, use of. 563 

Rules for capitals.388-402 

Salutation, forms of.page 233 

capitalization. 22 

forms used.19, 448 

position of..19, 20 

punctuation. 21 

Scholastic Titles.... 562 and page 228 

Sealing letters. 465 

Self-addressed envelopes. 53 

Semicolon, uses of. 426 

Senior, use of. 452 

Sentences, in diction. 115 

long.461 

Signatures, to letters.33, 476 

lady’s. 35 

official. 36 

plainness . 34 

Sisters of Charity .. .569 and page 240 

Skeleton letter. 8 

Slang words. 114 

Small words. 112 

Social letters, defined. 2 

Spacing with typewriter. 596 

Special request envelopes. 54 

Spelling...^.458, 592 

Stamp cancelling machines. 84 

Stamps...59~6 i 

enclosing a. 44 i 

how made. 90 

how ordered. 93 

position of.60, 61 

redemption . 73 

special delivery.71, 581 

taken from stamped envelope.. 73 

where made .... • • • 9° 

? ^mped envelopes, when spoiled 72 

r/nere made. 9^ 


State, name of on envelope...... 63 

Steamer, illustration of.page 155 

letters on. 82 

Stenographers, instruction for. 588-600 

Style, in letters. 117' 

Superscription .48-58 

arrangement and position of... 51 

capitalization. 58 

extra attention to. 69 

illustrated. 50 

legibility . 52 

punctuation. 57 

Syllable divisions. 593 

Telegrams.512-515 

Telegraphing money.504, 515 

Testimonials, how used. 485 

Titles, classification of.page 228 

abbreviations of.page 228 

Catholic.page 237 

diplomatic and consular.. page 232 

general discussion of.553“573 

in introduction. 16 

in superscription. 49 

military and naval.page 231 

military and naval. 573 

official. 570 

of respect and courtesy.... page 228 

of service, ex-officio.page 229 

on cards. 545 

scholastic-.... 562 and page 228 

social. 554 

two or more. 17 

when long. 51 

when used . 472 

Transcribing shorthand notes- 590 

Transient, use of the word. 51 

Transportation of mail, cost. 77 

Truthfulness, in correspondence. 450 

Typewriter, the. 595 

Typewritten letter.pages 225, 227 

Ultimo, use of. 457 

Underlining in letters. 460 

Unmailable matter. 579 

Wedding, anniversaries. 523 

announcements . 522 

invitations.521 

Western Union Telegraph Co.... 515 

Words, division of. 593 

foreign . 113 

misused.^.118-386 

punctuation of series. 411 

slang. 114 

small. 112 





































































































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following: Methods and Forms of 
Department Stores, 39 pages de¬ 
voted to Banking and Clearing 
Houses, also an Appendix of 65 
pages of useful information. Three 
colors; richly bound; 308 pages, 
8 x 11 ; price, $ 2 . 25 . 

Twentieth Century Business Prac¬ 
tice. Teaches how to write and 
handle all kinds of business pa¬ 
pers. Price, $ 2.15 for complete 
set of five parts. 

Everybody’s Dictionary, for every¬ 
day use. Compiled from ’ ' 3r. 
Vest-pocket size; 33,000 's; 

cloth, 25 cents—morocco, 
gold edges, 50 cents. 


Any of the above described books will be sent at the prices named, postage o. express 
charges prepaid. Our illustrated catalogue mailed free. Address the publishers, 


THE PRACTICAL TEXT BOOK COMPANY 


CLEVELAND, OHIO. 






































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